Sreedharan presents DPR on Vijayawada Metro to Andhra CM

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) principal advisor E. Sreedharan on Sunday presented the detailed project report (DPR) on Vijayawada Metro to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu was also present at the occasion.

Sreedharan said that the total estimated cost of the project (till 2019) is Rs.6,823 crore.

The project comprises two corridors -- corridor 1 (Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal-Penamaluru) for 12.76 km and corridor 2 (Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal-Nidamanuru) for 13.27 km.

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

The total length of this project is 26.03 km where the cost per kilometer comes up to Rs.209 crore, the DPR states.

"Whether it is going to be elevated or underground will only be decided during the capital development stage," Sreedharan said, adding underground project per kilometer would cost Rs.500-600 crore against Rs.209 crore per kilometer if it is elevated.

Giving a break-up of fares for transportation, the DPR said that the cost of the ticker per person is Rs.10 between 0-5 km, Rs.20 for between 5-10 km and Rs.30 if it is above 10 km.

Explaining the land requirements, the DPR mentions that 31.029 hectares of land (both government and private) will be required for the project. For the construction of Metro Rail Depot, 11. 34 hectares of land will be required, the DPR states.

"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 will begin by June.

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

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

Meanwhile, Sreedharan said that the DPR for the Visakhapatnam Metro would be presented by June 15.

Naidu was informed that a Rapid Rail Transit System for Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri (VGTM) could be planned as a metro will not be feasible on this route.