2 days ago
Vizag metro rail: AIIB team review project
The Beijing-headquartered Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has sent a two-member team to Visakhapatnam as part of its expression of interest in providing 60% financial aid for the Vizag Metro Rail (VMR). The remaining 40% will be funded by the State and Central governments, each contributing 20%.
The team, led by Senior Investment Officer Mr. Pascal Roussel (from France), over the past two days toured all the 43 proposed metro rail stations of the first phase, which spans 46.23 km. They were accompanied by N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy, Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (APMRC), who briefed them on the project's scope and progress.
In an interview to The Hindu on Tuesday, APMRC MD Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said, 'We want to begin civil works by October, 2025 and are expediting all aspects of the project. The AIIB team visited the city as part of the process of sanctioning a loan (60% of the total project cost). We will prioritise Phase-1 first and will follow with Phase-2 after the international airport at Bhogapuram becomes operational.'
Mr. Reddy explained that the 46-km-long phase 1 is divided into two segments: a 20-km-long double-decker system and a 26-km-long metro rail system. The double-decker will be divided into two parts – one spanning 15 km from Carshed Junction (PM Palem) to Thatichetlapalem and the other 5 km from Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (entrance gate) up to Gajuwaka. 'No other double-decker system of this length exists in India,' he said.
The double-decker system will have two transport networks – on the first level, a flyover for motor vehicles, and on the second level, the metro rail. Both the levels will be on the same pier (pillar). 'This unique double-decker system will be built with an additional cost of ₹2,000 crore on top of the total estimated investment (₹11,498 crore) in the first phase. The extent of land area to be acquired will be around 99.75 acres, and its estimated cost will be around ₹882 crore as per current records. This is also additional to the project investment,' Mr. Reddy added.
Currently, the AIIB has sanctioned funds for metro rail projects in e Chennai, Kochi (second phase) and Mumbai (metro line 5).
