In a boost to the urban transportation system, the State government has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Vijayawada metro rail project and the implementation of phase-I works for the Visakhapatnam metro rail.

According to Secretary K. Kanna Babu, metro rail works under phase-I will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 11,498 crore (excluding land costs).

This will include three corridors totaling 46.23 km. Corridor-1 will connect Steel Plant Junction and Kommadi (34.40 km), Corridor-2 will connect Gurudwara and Old Post Office (5.08 km), and Corridor-3 will connect Tadichetlapalem to Chinna Waltair (6.75 km).

As part of phase-II, a fourth corridor will connect Kommadi to Bhogapuram (30.67 km).

The total cost of the project, spanning 76.90 km, has been pegged at Rs 14,309 crore. The project will follow a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with 40% funding from the Central government and 60% from a private developer.

The government also approved the DPR for Phase-I of the Vijayawada Metro Rail Project for submission to the Centre.

As part of phase-I, Corridors 1A and 1B, spanning 38.40 km, will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 11,009 crore, with Rs 1,152 crore allocated for land acquisition by the State government.

Corridor 1A will cover Gannavaram to PNBS, while Corridor 1B will connect PNBS to Penamaluru. Phase-II will include the third corridor (27.75 km) connecting PNBS to Amaravati’s Reservoir Station, to be undertaken at a later stage.