Govt to invite tenders for Vij, Visakha Metro today
According to official sources, the first phase of the Vijayawada Metro Rail Project is estimated to cost Rs 10,118 crore, while the Visakhapatnam Metro Rail project is projected at Rs 11,498 crore. These high-value tenders will mark a crucial step in realising long-pending metro ambitions in the two key cities of the state.
The metro rail projects are jointly funded by the Centre and the state government, under the public-private partnership (PPP) and viability gap funding (VGF) models. The Centre is expected to extend financial support under the Metro Rail Policy 2017, which encourages state governments to plan urban mass transit systems based on economic feasibility and sustainable urban development.
As part of its financial commitment, the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) will allocate Rs 3,497 crore for the Vijayawada metro, while the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) will contribute Rs 4,101 crore for the Visakhapatnam metro.
The Vijayawada metro, originally proposed during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, is intended to decongest city traffic and improve connectivity in the rapidly urbanising Amaravati capital region. The first phase is likely to cover around 26 kilometers, connecting key city nodes including the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS), Vijayawada Railway Station, and surrounding urban clusters.
On the other hand, the Visakhapatnam metro project, planned in three corridors spanning a total of 76.9 kilometers, aims to integrate the city's industrial, educational, and coastal belts. The first phase will cover the 28-kilometre stretch from Steel Plant to Kommadi, passing through heavily populated urban areas and key junctions like Gajuwaka, NAD Junction, and Maddilapalem.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Uttar Pradesh secures ₹12,031 crore under PMAY-Urban 2.0
LUCKNOW: In a major push towards ' Housing for All ', the Uttar Pradesh government has secured financial approval of Rs 12,031 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission 2.0 to provide pucca houses to the urban poor, according to a statement released on Saturday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to ensure transparency and quality in construction, the statement said. Following this, geo-tagging and photographic documentation of each house will be mandatory under PMAY (Urban), enabling real-time monitoring at every stage of construction. All houses will also be equipped with disaster-resilient features to safeguard against earthquakes, floods, and other calamities, making safety an integral component of the scheme, it said. The cost of construction under the scheme is being shared between the Centre and the state government in a 60:40 ratio. Each eligible beneficiary will receive Rs 2.5 lakh in assistance to build a permanent (pucca) house. Launched on September 1, 2024, the PMAY (Urban) Mission 2.0 aims to ensure pucca houses for all families by the set deadline. The scheme is being closely monitored by officials at both the state and district levels to guarantee timely and quality construction. The initiative not only provides social security to the urban poor but also promotes integrated urban development across Uttar Pradesh, the statement added.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Cong's cotton certification allegations misleading: Govt
NEW DELHI: Centre on Sunday refuted Congress's allegations regarding irregularities in organic cotton certification, calling the remarks unfounded and misleading. The commerce ministry said the aspersions cast against National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) were baseless and unwarranted. "Generalised allegations against a robust regulatory system of the country for a particular crop/region/group of operators only serve to undermine the credibility of legitimate regulatory institutions and the broader organic movement in India," the ministry said in a statement. Congress on Saturday demanded a court-monitored CBI probe into an alleged scam in the sale of normal cotton as organic cotton in MP. Former MP CM Digvijaya Singh alleged India's image is being hurt globally as the country has lost credibility in certification of organic products.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
ED probes Anil's RHFL for writing off Rs 7k cr loans to group firms
NEW DELHI: As the ED sifts through voluminous documents and digital records seized from Anil Ambani 's Reliance group entities during searches, which began on July 24 and concluded on Sunday, the agency, in particular, is looking at alleged diversion of Rs 12,000 crore loans by Reliance Home Finance Ltd (RHFL) to various related entities. ED is being assisted in its task by National Financial Reporting Authority, CBI, Security and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and National Housing Bank, since it involves misappropriation of huge public funds. At least a dozen related entities of the group are currently undergoing insolvency proceedings, which means massive haircuts for banks. Sources said 22 individuals, who are key management personnel and associates of Ambani, have come under the radar of the agency and are being investigated, besides the 60 companies that were covered during the searches lasting over 72 hours. A Sebi investigation report (shared with ED) has highlighted alleged laundering of funds by RHFL, which had written off around Rs 7,000 crore out of the Rs 12,000 crore of loans it had extended to various entities linked to the Anil Ambani group. Ambani is already under investigation for his group entity RHFL availing funds of Rs 2,965 crore from Yes Bank by allegedly paying bribes to its former CEO Rana Kapoor through his wife Bindu Kapoor and her companies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Do You Speak English? You May Be Able To Work a USA Job From Home in Bangladesh US Jobs | Search ads Undo Rs 1,353 crore of the Rs 2,965 crore received from Yes Bank has turned into NPA. A forensic audit, commissioned by the bank, has also concluded diversion of this amount to related companies. Reliance Power and Reliance Infrastructure, in identical statements, said, "The company and all its officials have fully cooperated and will continue to cooperate with the authority". On the alleged diversion of Rs 12,000 crore by RHFL to related entities, a company official said, "The account of RHFL has been fully resolved with change in management pursuant to the judgment of SC in 2023. ..Allegations of other irregularities are sub-judice and as a matter of fact, the Sebi order has been challenged before SAT (Securities Appellate Tribunal) since 2024". "Sebi vide its order dated Aug 22, 2024, has found that RHFL has engaged in a fraudulent scheme to divert funds for the benefit of Ambani and his group companies," a source aware of the probe said. ED is probing related party transactions, in which it was found that Reliance Infrastructure had received funds from Crest Logistics and Engineers Pvt Ltd, which in turn had received funds from at least four entities - RPL Star Power Pvt Ltd, RPL Solar Power Pvt Ltd, Species Trade and Commerce Pvt Ltd and Worldcom Solutions Ltd - all of them allegedly linked to the Anil Ambani group. According to the Sebi investigation report, the forensic audit of RHFL found that "loans of more than Rs 12,000 crore have been extended to various entities which are linked to the Anil Ambani group. These companies had a common registered address, email ID/domain, address and directors". The Sebi report further revealed that as on Sept 30, 2021, Rs 6,931 crore had been declared as NPA/written off by RHFL out of loans extended to linked/associated entities of the group.
