The state government, which cleared the Vizag Metro Rail (VMR) project proposals for 42.55 km long line with three corridors, has speeded up the process. Foundation for the ₹8,300 crore Visakhapatnam Metro Rail project to be taken up in public-private partnership (PPP) is likely to be laid in February with a view to start operations by December 2023, according to Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Karikal Valaven.
He was speaking at a high-level meeting on the Metro project at the VMRDA Office on Wednesday. Mr Valavan said it was the biggest metro rail project being taken up under the PPP. The Principal Secretary and N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy, Managing Director of Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation, made a presentation on the project to MP K. Haribabu, Government Whip P.G.V.R. Naidu and MLAs P. Vishnu Kumar Raju and Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar.
Mr Reddy said 92.4 % of the land required was that of the government and hence there was no problem. District Collector Pravin Kumar, Metropolitan Commissioner P. Basanth Kumar and Municipal Commissioner M. Hari Narayanan participated in the deliberations. Of the cost, ₹ 4,200 crore required for civil infrastructure will be invested by the State government by obtaining a loan from the Korean government besides operations’ support for 10 years to make up for rider-ship shortfall.
The non-civil infrastructure cost of ₹ 4,100 crore has to be invested by the private developer. The government has decided to allow 250 acres of government land free of cost to AMRC for repayment of loan that will finally come to ₹6,500 crore in 20 years. Mr Vishnu Kumar Raju wanted the Metro Rail extended up to Anandapuram in view of the location of engineering colleges and government housing coming up at Kommadi and Madhurawada.