Visakhapatnam to have three overhead metro corridors initially, says E Sreedharan
Visakhapatnam: DMRC former head and consultant for metro rail projects E. Sreedharan indicated that there would be three overhead corridors in the city for around 40 km stretch.
The civic body organised a hush-hush visit for two-days on Tuesday and Wednesday and the officials were too tightlipped about the details of corridors, he observed.
When contacted on Wednesday, he said that he would submit a report to the government on the viable corridors for taking up the project. He hinted that the viable corridors are different from the corridors proposed by the GVMC earlier.
He said the team would visit in a month and start other preparatory works.
In fact, the GVMC submitted a proposal in February to the Ministry of Urban Transport for implementing Metro Rail Project in about 25 km in the first phase.
The Urban Transport Department, subsequently, gave in-principle approval for going ahead with feasibility studies and DPR.
The GVMC proposed four corridors earlier and they are: Maddilapalem NH to NAD Junction for 10 km, Railway Station to Gajuwaka via Scindia for 14.73 km, Tagarapuvalasa NH to Hanumanthuwaka via Gajuwaka for 14 km, and NH at NAD junction to Gajuwaka for 8.5 km.
These were carried out under Low Carbon Mobility Plan prepared with UNEP assistance that suggested Low Carbon Initiatives with integrated transport solutions.
Central Business Districts (CBDs) were found to be in Gajuwaka, Pendurthi and Madhurawada and transport axes will be along these growth corridors, the earlier studies revealed.
The city is implementing two BRTS corridors on Pendurti and Simhachalam corridors of 40 km.
Sources said the new corridors are different from the corridors proposed by the GVMC and the team found alternative high-ridership corridors keeping in view of economy measures and just connecting the existing transport facilities such as RTC Complex and Railway Station.
The potential new corridors is likely be: Maddilapalem to Gajuwaka or Kurmanapalem via Dondaparthi, Akkayapalem, Malkapuram and RTC Complex to Old City via Post Office, Jagadamba Junction.
