Chandrababu Naidu looks at JICA for investment in Vijayawada Metro project - Updates

Vijayawada: Even as Union Ministry of Urban Development raised doubts over the feasibility of Vijayawada Metro Rail, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu requested E.Sreedharan, former CMD/DMRC and Advisor for various Metro Rail projects in the State, to ensure that it starts taking shape at the earliest.

“Funding is not a problem, he said, as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is keen on extending financial assistance to them”, Mr. Naidu said in a meeting with the Metro Man in Hyderabad on Friday.  On the Viability Gap Analysis, he mentioned that MUD’s report was based on certain parameters.

However once the State Capital starts functioning from Amaravati – the newly announced Capital of Andhra Pradesh, then Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali corridor including the suburbs like Mangalagiri, Nuzivid etc will form part of Amaravathi Capital Region and hence the scope and viability of the Metro Rail project will get scaled up to 10-12 times than the current analysis by MUD, he added.

During a detailed discussion on Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada metro railway projects, Mr.Naidu said that Mr.Sreedharan, who was former MD of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, could visit places like Istanbul where public transportation has been revolutionized by metro rail projects and probably replicate the best practices back home.

Mr.Naidu wanted first phase of Visakhapatnam project to be completed by the end of 2018 and the one planned for Vijayawada launched at the earliest.

Mr.Sreedharan and his team were asked to prepare a process chart for regular monitoring and to take care of logistical issues that might derail the projects.

Since metro rail projects were cost-effective means of transportation in the coming years, A.P. Government attached due priority to them and looked forward to experts like Mr.Sreedharan to chip in with their expertise, Mr.Naidu added.

News Courtesy : railnews.co.in 

Proposed Metro Rail projects in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam likely to be submitted - Updates

Vijayawada: Metro man E Sridharan, who is looking after the planning activities of metro rail projects in Andhra Pradesh, is likely to submit Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the proposed metro rail projects in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here on Thursday.

According to sources, Sridharan, who had headed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (DMRC) earlier, will present the two DPRs with cost estimates to Naidu here.

The State government wants to construct metro rail projects in Visakhapatnam covering a length of 39 km and in Vijayawada covering 25 kg in the first phase by 2017.

In the first phase, Vijayawada will have a 25-km metro rail from Jawaharlal Nehru Bus Station to Penamaluru. For Visakhapatnam metro, surveys have already been conducted in the identified three corridors namely, Madhurawada to NAD Junction, Thatichetlapalem to Old Post office and Gurudwara Junction to Park Hotel Junction.

After the submission of the DPRs, the Sate government will decide whether to award the construction works to DMRC or call global tenders to find out another developer.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who will be touring China for six days starting from April 12, will hold meetings with Chinese companies, which have come forward to undertake bullet train project between Visakhapatnam and Chennai via Vijayawada.

Vizag Metro News Update

A project proposal submitted by the GVMC to the Ministry of Urban Transport for Metro Rail project has identified four corridors for mass rapid transit (MRT).

The four are on the National Highway from Maddilapalem to NAD Junction (10 km); from the railway station to Gajuwaka via Scindia (14.73 km), Tagarapuvalasa to Hanumanthavaka on the highway (14 km) and NAD Junction to Gajuwaka (8.5 km).

After the proposal was submitted by the GVMC last month, the Urban Transport Department gave in-principle approval for going ahead with feasibility studies and DPR. The GVMC now has to select consultants for it.

The GVMC has proposed to take up feasibility study on the four corridors and to finalise one metro corridor for a length of 25 km in the first phase to prepare a detailed project report at a cost of Rs.1.6 crore. The cost is footed equally by the State and Central Governments.

Municipal Commissioner M V Satyanarayana said on Monday the Central Government promised to foot 90 per cent of the cost of projects in Seemandhra as a part of the bifurcation package and Metro would qualify for such funding. Recently, the Chief Secretary had asked for details of the Metro project.

The four corridors have been identified based on a detailed study under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that prepared Low Carbon Mobility Plan with comprehensive mobility plan and suggesting integrated transport solutions.

The plan says that that future central business districts (CBDs) will be in Gajuwaka, Pendurti and Madhurawada and transport axes will be along these growth corridors.

Earlier, in 2009 the Swedish Institute for Public Administration has conducted a review of Urban Transport Sector and suggested a plan for integrated urban transport solutions. It estimated that travel demand would increase from two million motorised trips per day to almost four million trips by 2021. As of now the city has two Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on Pendurti and Simhachalam corridors. Experts are of the view that depending on the population and spread the city requires a support transport for mass rapid transit systems to provide last mile connectivity.

Visakhapatnam Metro -Vizag Metro

Vizag Metro is a proposed rapid transit system in the Indian city of Visakhapatanam, Andhra Pradesh. The system is proposed to reduce traffic congestion as well as providing a modern and efficient public transport system in the city which became the largest city and the main hub for economic activity of Andhra Pradesh after the states bifurcation.

Here’s a map I’ve made which shows the alignment of the 3 lines:

• Line 1 – Gajuwaka to Kommadi – 30.38 km with stations at Kommadi Junction, Hanumanthawaka Junction, Maddilapalem, Gurudwara Junction, Akkayyapalem, Kancharapalem, Muralinagar, Government Polytechnic College, Thatichetlapalem, Kancharapalem, Murali Nagar, GSI, NAD Junction, Visakhapatnam International Airport, Sheela Nagar, BHPV, Auto Nagar and Gajuwaka.

• Line 2 – Gurudwara Junction to Old Post Office – 5.25 km with stations at BVK College, RTC Complex, Dabagardens, Saraswati Circle, Poorna Market and Old Post Office.

• Line 3 – Thatichetlapalem to Chinna Waltair – 6.91 km with stations at New Railway Colony, Railway Station, Allipuram Junction, RTC Complex, Siripuram Junction, Andhra University and Chinna Waltair.