Visakhapatnam: Vizag Metro Rail, the jewel in the crown of city projects, is set to become a reality as preparatory work kicked off on Tuesday with the maiden visit of “Metro man” E. Sreedharan in Vizag.
Mr Sreedharan, principal advisor to the state government on Metro Rail projects, visited Vizag to observe the proposed corridors and ground reality to start various studies as part of the preparation for the detailed project report.
He announced that the project would be completed in the next 3 to 4 years which includes preparation of feasibility studies and DPR. He interacted with Greater Vizag Municipal Corporation and Vizag and Urban Development Authority officials.
Addressing media persons, he said that they would prepare initial studies in the coming 3-4 months and be ready with a DPR for the Vizag Metro Rail project within the next six months as the state government has mandated it to complete construction of the project in the next three years.
“We are preparing the DPR for the first-phase and have to assess the issues technically for the corridors proposed by the GVMC. Types of ridership, fund-flow and other issues have to be appraised,” he said.
He added that the government has lowered the benchmark-population for granting Metro-rail projects from cities with 3 million to 1 million and hence Vizag has got the opportunity to have such transit system. He said they had also identified two corridors at Vijayawada.
Meanwhile cheaper elevated metro recommended for Vizag
Vizag and Vijayawada would have elevated or overhead Metro Rail systems instead of underground ones, as they cost less, indicated “metro man” E. Sreedharan.
Elevated railways are usually constructed in urban areas where there are a large number of level crossings. “Vizag and Vijayawada have common parameters,” Mr Sreedharan said.
The UG Metro would cost around '500 to '550 crore per kilometre and the elevated routes will cost around Rs 200 to Rs 220 crore per kilometre.
The DMRC team has now to finalize the practical and feasible corridors in Vizag, with the Central Business District, which is the commercial heart of the city, and commuting volume in busy areas, in mind.
Mr Sreedharan said they would consider intensity of previous cyclones in the region and design corridors as per the standards stipulated.
