Fresh survey begins for Vizag Metro project

Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P. Narayana has said that a fresh survey for the proposed Visakhapatnam Metro Rail project is currently under way following directions from the Centre, and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) would be submitted for approvals after the exercise is completed.

Addressing the media at the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority office in Siripuram on Saturday, the Minister said metro rail systems were being developed in major cities to reduce vehicular pollution and improve urban transportation, and Visakhapatnam too would have a metro rail network.

Mr. Narayana said the resurvey was expected to be completed by the end of next month. “Once the survey is completed, the DPR will be submitted to the Centre and necessary approvals will be obtained,” he said.

Reviewing infrastructure projects linked to Bhogapuram International Airport, the Minister said three of the seven master plan roads being taken up by VMRDA to improve connectivity to the airport had already been completed, while works on the remaining roads were progressing. He also said a Beach Corridor up to Bhogapuram was being planned.

Referring to the VMRDA Master Plan, Mr. Narayana said a review meeting was conducted on Saturday and around 90% of the objections raised by the public and public representatives had been resolved. He, however, clarified that some proposals could not be accommodated.

The Minister said the views of MLAs Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu were yet to be obtained as they were currently away from the city.

He said a final decision on the VMRDA Master Plan-2041 would be taken at the Capital Region Development Authority meeting scheduled to be held in Vijayawada on Sunday.