Sreedharan Submits Vijayawada Metro DPR To Naidu

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) principal advisor E Sreedharan met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday. Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu too was present in the meeting.

Presenting the Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the Vijayawada Metro today, Sreedharan said that the total estimated cost of the project (till 2019) would be Rs 6,823 crores.

In the DPR of the Vijayawada Metro, Sreedharan mentioned that it would include two corridors: Corridor 1 (Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal - Penamaluru) for 12.76 kms and Corridor 2 (Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal - Nidamanuru) for 13.27 kms.

While Corridor 1 would be linked to the capital city of Amaravathi, Corridor 2 will be connected to the Gannavaram airport, Sreedharan said.

The total length including the two corridors would be 26.03 kms, and so the cost per kilometer would come to Rs. 209 crores, the DPR stated.

"Whether it is going to be elevated or not will be decided only during the capital development stage," Sreedharan said, adding that the per kilometer cost for an underground project would be Rs. 500-600 crores, as against Rs 209 crores per kilometer if it were elevated.

Giving a break-up of the fares for transportation, the DPR said that the cost of the ticket per person would be Rs 10 for 0-5 kms, Rs 20 for 5-10 kms and Rs 30 for distances above 10kms.

The DPR mentions that 31.029 hectares of land (both government and private) would be required for the project. For the construction of the Metro Rail Depot, 11.34 hectares of land will be required.

"Government lands along the route may be reserved for property development to fund the project," the report says.

Sreedharan informed the Chief Minister that the first phase of the project would begin by June 2015.

By January 1st, 2019, one section of the Metro Rail project should be commissioned, the Chief Minister said.

The DMRC team predicted that the traffic demand could be 2.91 lakh trips in 2019-2020, and would rise to 9.99 lakh trips in 2051-52.

Replying to the traffic forecasts, the Chief Minister, and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, said that those estimates were conservative, and that the traffic may be higher, considering capital institutions.

Meanwhile, Sreedharan said that the DPR for the Visakhapatnam Metro would be ready by June 15. He, however, presented the status report of the Visakhapatnam Metro to the Chief Minister today.

The Chief Minister was informed that a Rapid Rail Transit System for Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri (VGTM) could be planned as a Metro would not be feasible on this route.

A discussion on the projects will happen during the next cabinet meeting. Proposals for connectivity between Vizag and Tirupati via Amaravathi, and Bangalore to Amaravathi high-speed train proposals would be discussed, the Chief Minister said. (INN)