UMTC to prepare DPR for trackless tram system in Visakhapatnam

The Andhra Pradesh State Government, on Monday, announced that the Urban Mass Transit Company (UMTC) will be preparing a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the trackless tram system in Visakhapatnam. This initiative of developing a 60.2 km-long trackless tram system was proposed earlier in December as part of Vizag Metro Rail Project.

Among the contenders, UMTC bagged the contract as it quoted the lowest bid of Rs 336.67 lakh. Later on, the AP State Government directed the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Vijayawada, to issue a letter of acceptance to the UMTC to prepare a new DPR. Apart from preparing DPR for the project, UMTC will be given the responsibility to provide an alternative analysis report.

The AP State Government had earlier decided to complete the Vizag metro project, covering 140 km, in three phases. The first phase of the metro rail in Vizag was initially scheduled to be taken up in three corridors for a length of 46.4 km. Later on, the Andhra Pradesh State Government revised the plan and decided to extend the length of the Vizag Metro Rail up to 79.91 km, in the first phase. The corridor proposed, from Gajuwaka to Kommadi, will be extended to the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport, from 34.23 km to 67.74 km. The other corridors are Gurudwara to the Old Post Office (5.26 km) and Thatichetlapalem to the Rama Krishna Beach Road (6.91 km).

In order to relieve the financial burden on the State Government, and yet offer an effective means of public transport, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had mooted to introduce a trackless tram system to connect the sparsely populated areas in Visakhapatnam. In this regard, the authorities proposed to run this new trackless tram via four routes. The tram corridors will include NAD Junction-Pendurthi, Steel Plant-Anakapalli, Old Post Office-Rushikonda