Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu discussing the status of the metro rail projects with Ministers and officials at the Secretariat on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the status of the Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada metro rail projects in a meeting with Ministers P. Narayana (Municipal Administration) and B.C. Janardhan Reddy (Transport, Roads and Buildings), AP Metro Rail Corporation Limited (APMRCL) MD N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy and other officials concerned at the Secretariat on Thursday. He wanted both projects to be completed in four years and told the officials to negotiate with the Central government for 100% equity funding for them.
Making a presentation, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the 76.90-km-long Visakhapatnam metro rail and the 66-km-long Vijayawada metro had already been approved. Before 2017, the Central government was not bearing 100% of the funding of metro rail projects but under the 2017 policy, it gave 100% equity funding to the 16-km-long metro rail project in Kolkata at a cost of ₹8,565 crore. The project was implemented by the Ministries of Urban Development and Railways.
Mr. Naidu told the APMRCL MD to negotiate with the Central government for 100% funding for the two projects, while pointing out that the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 provided for metro projects in the State.
Both projects would have double decks (a road on the ground level, a flyover above it, and the metro rail running on top) in some stretches. In Visakhapatnam, it (the double deck) would be from Madhurawada to Thatichetlapalem and Gajuwaka to the steel plant. The Vijayawada metro rail would have a double deck from Ramavarappadu Ring to Nidamanuru.
Published – January 02, 2025 09:20 pm IST
