Vijayawada: The Centre’s new policy with more stringent parameters than before to approve Metro Rail projects, has prompted the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation (AMRC) and the state government to opt for a Light Metro. The government has also extended the Light Metro corridors up to Gannavaram airport, Krishna Canal junction crossing the Krishna river and Jakkampudi. As there is no progress on the original Metro Rail project, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has suggested that it will be appropriate that the contract/agreement is closed on mutual consent basis the and AMRC has agreed on October 4, according to AMRC managing director N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy.
The secretary, ministry of urban development department, in his letter dated September 28, while returning the DPR to the state government, requested that it be resubmitted after bringing it in line with the new metro rail policy guidelines. The DMRC had prepared the DPR for the Vijayawada Metro for two corridors totalling 26 km. Corridor-1 was from Pandit Nehru Bus Stand to Penamaluru on Bandar road for 12.5 km whike the 13.5 km Corridor-2 was planned from the Pandit Nehru Bus Station via railway station and Eluru road to Nidamanuru.
Vijayawada city has a population of 10.48 lakh in the municipal corporation limits and 14.91 lakh in the urban agglomeration according to the 2011 census.
As per DPR the expected peak hour passenger per direction (PHPDT) would have been 6,366 by 2021-22 and the Internal Rate of Return 3.47 per cent. The project cost estimated by the DMRC was Rs 6,769.00 crore including land and relief and rehabilitation for the oustees.
The DMRC in the DPR though felt that the Light Metro was adequate for Vijayawada as per the PHPDT but recommended a Medium Metro Rail as the city was planned to be developed as the AP capital. The state government after approving the project submitted the DPR to the Union urban development ministry on June 29, with a request to approve the project and to give concurrence for execution of the project on turn-key basis with the DMRC.
The Union ministry of finance and NITI Aayog observed that as per National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP), 2006, the PHPDT requirement should be more than 20,000 for at least 5 km by 2021 whereas for Vijayawada Metro it stood at 6,366 by 2021-22 which was not even one third of the requirement.
The Financial Internal Rate of Return (FIRR) should be more than 8 per cent whereas for Vijayawada Metro it was 3.47 per cent, The city population should be more than 20 lakhs whereas Vijayawada’s population stood at 10.48 lakh.
In view of these, the Centre said the Vijayawada Metro Rail Project would not meet the requirements of the NUTP, 2006. The Public Investment Board in its meeting held on March 20 observed the above shortfalls of the requirements for approval of the project and differed till New Metro Policy is approved by the Centre.
