Progress on the Visakhapatnam Metro Rail is happening, slowly but surely and here are the latest developments.

Visakhapatnam Metro Rail, much anticipated and awaited is now at the stage where firms that are qualified and capable of executing the project are called for. January 25th is the date set for receiving bids for Expression of Interest and Request for Qualification from those companies that are interested to take up the massive project. These bids are solicited by Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (AMRC). Post submission, the companies will be shortlisted by the government , taking into consideration their execution of previous projects. This will determine the second stage of bids. While this stage of operations had a deadline of December 15th, the date was shifted upon requests made by interested bidders for more time.Hence, the dates shifted from December 15th to January 25th.

The second round of Request for Proposal will now happen sometime in the middle of 2018. The Visakhapatnam Metro rail project is thus surely on the road of taking shape. Reports indicate a lot of interest from foreign players such as Siemens from Germany, Alstom from France, Hyundai and Bancor-Investments from South Korea, Mitsui from Japan, KfW-IPEX from Germany, Orix from Japan, Ansaldo from Italy and Prasarana from Malaysia.

Project Cost

Planned for execution by the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode, the project is estimated to cost Rs 8,800 crore. Government of Andhra Pradesh is set to contribute approximately Rs 4,500 towards the civil works. The remaining amount will be invested by the selected private player who is to take charge of the operational and maintenance side of works. The work division is such that provision of land and infrastructure falls under the government purview. The rest of maintenance, operations etc falls under the purview of the private player for a period of 35 years.

Timeline of operations

Once started the construction will have to be finished within 5 years from the date the project commences.

Project plan

The Visakhapatnam Metro Rail will have 99 trains with 41 metro station points. The max capacity of each train would be 200 passengers and the train would have 2 coaches. The maximum time limit will be of seven minutes from train to train at a station. Addition of coaches and decrease in time limit would be subject to demand for metro rail in the city.

As per Times of India: “AMRC managing director NP Ramakrishna Reddy told TOI that many foreign firms have expressed interest to take up the project. They are keen on executing the project as they are fond of Vizag city’s geographical and weather conditions besides its natural beauty, he said, adding that the viability of the Vizag metro rail project is 100 per cent assured because of its cosmopolitan nature.”