VIJAYAWADA: After cancelling the bidding process of Visakhapatnam metro rail project, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department has given a green signal to the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation (AMRC) to invite quotations from consultants for the preparation of detailed project report for a light metro covering a distance of 79.91 km across 10 corridors in the city.
The AMRC sought permission from the State government last month to invite quotations for the preparation of two DPRs from consulting agencies Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, RITES and UMTC.
After examining the proposal of Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation, the Municipal Administration Department on Friday issued an order giving the go-ahead for the same.
As the government is keen on relocating the Secretariat and offices of Heads of Departments to Visakhapatnam from Amaravati in the coming few months as part of its proposal to make it an executive capital of the State, the AMRC plans to have the revised DPR of metro rail ready at the earliest so that the tendering process can be completed within six months.
According to the AMRC proposal, the first phase of the light metro rail project will have six corridors, planned to be completed between 2020 and 2024. The consultant will prepare a fresh DPR duly updating the existing project report for 42.55 km network.
It may be recalled that the YSRC government in December last did not permit the AMRC to issue Letter of Acceptance (LOA) to Essel Infra Consortium, which was the only firm to have filed financial bids for the 42.55 km project proposed earlier.
On December 30, 2019, it had decided to appoint a new consultant for drafting the revised DPR for the light metro rail project through an open tender.
The decision was taken to start the planning and execution of the project from scratch after Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, in a review meeting, had suggested that the facility be extended to other parts of Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA).
The AMRC had also sought permission for the preparation of another DPR for a modern tram system covering 60 km more. The MAUD Department is expected to give clearance for the same shortly. The project is proposed to be taken up in the second phase after 2023 and before 2028.
Phase 2 of metro rail project
Modern tram, corridors 7, 8 and 9 planned for 2023-28 and corridor 10 for 2027-29
Corridor 7 NAD Junction to Pendurti - 10.2 km
Corridor 8 Steel plant to Anakapalle - 18.2 km
Corridor 9 Old post office to Rushikonda beach - 15.4 km
Corridor 10 Rushikonda beach to Bheemili beach - 16.4 km
Total length 60.2 km