Andhra Pradesh govt proposes metro rail project for Tirupati temple town

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh government aims to complete two metro rail projects in Visakhapatnam and VGTM (Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri) area – within three-and-half-years and it has proposed a similar venture for the temple town of Tirupati.

The state government has assigned the construction of these two projects to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), whose principal adviser E Sreedharan has been appointed as the adviser for the AP government on the metro rail projects.

During a meeting with Sreedharan at his office today, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu noted that the state would initially have these two metro rail projects and asked him to complete both within three-and-a-half years.

The state government also proposed a metro rail project for Tirupati, but it would be taken up after completion of the Visakhapatnam and VGTM ventures, an official release said.

The Chief Minister asked Sreedharan to prepare a feasibility report for a rail-based mass rapid transit system, it was stated.

Sreedharan assured the Chief Minister that DMRC would support and assist the state government "in every way possible," the release stated.

Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao and Adviser (Communications) to the state government, Dr Parakala Prabhakar were among those present during the meeting.