Vizag Metro double-decker plan cut to 2.1 km
The proposed double-decker component of the Vizag Metro Rail project has been sharply scaled down from 20 km to just 2.1 km following safety, feasibility and traffic assessments by railway consultancy firm RITES.
The revised stretch is proposed between Hanumanthawaka and Gurudwara, according to highly placed sources. The proposal is yet to receive final clearance.
The Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation had initially envisaged a 20-km double-decker viaduct along major highway corridors as part of the 76.7-km metro network. The plan was to have a four-lane road flyover with light metro rail tracks above it.
RITES later recommended reducing the double-decker component to 13 km after traffic surveys and technical studies. The shorter stretch was considered sufficient to meet peak commuter demand while limiting expenditure, land acquisition and construction disruption.
The proposal has now been further reduced to 2.1 km, with planners focusing on the congested Hanumanthawaka-Gurudwara corridor. Officials believe the arrangement can provide traffic relief while keeping construction and engineering challenges manageable.
The double-decker concept involves carrying the road flyover and metro tracks on a common structural footprint, helping save road space and reduce land acquisition in built-up areas.
The Vizag Metro Rail project is planned in multiple phases across 76.7 km. Phase-I covers 46.23 km within city limits and comprises three corridors: 34.40 km from Steel Plant Junction to Kommadi, 5.08 km from Gurudwara to Old Post Office Junction, and 6.75 km from Thatichetlapalem to Chinna Waltair.
The first phase, comprising 42 stations, is estimated to cost over Rs 11,400 crore. The project is aimed at connecting key industrial, residential and commercial hubs while easing traffic congestion across the city.
Metro Rail Managing Director N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy said discussions were underway on the revised RITES recommendations. “Yes, discussions are going on the new recommendations of the RITES. Once finalised, we will move further on it. Progress is good,” he told The Coastal Times
A final decision on the revised alignment is expected before the project moves to the next stage of civil works.