5 firms in race for Vizag Metro

Visakhapatnam: Learning from the mistakes of Hyderabad Metro Rail Project in Telangana, Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation (AMRC) is sketching out their proposals with the technical assistance  from various experts, including initial operating losses into consideration, some recommended changes have been drafted in the Vizag Metro Rail Project.

The government proposes to fund civil infrastructure and the private developer will invest in non-civil infrastructure and earn revenues through operation and maintenance of the project for a period of 35 years. According to initial design, the Vizag Metro Rail project will be made into three corridors covering 42.55 km and the estimated project cost stands at Rs 8,800 crore (excluding land and R&R cost).

The state government has permitted the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation Limited (AMRC) to take up the Visakhapatnam Metro Rail (VMR) project under PPP model. The first corridor project will cover 30.38 km from Gajuwaka to Kommadi (Via NAD Junction, Gurudwara, Maddilapalem and Hanumanthawka along NH-16) while the second corridor 5.25 km covering Gurudwara Junction to Old Post Office (Via Daba Gardens, Suryabagh, Police Barracks and Poorna Market).

The third one will cover 6.91 km covering Thatichetlapalem to China Waltair (Via East Point Guest House, Railway Station, RTC Complex, Sampath Vinayaka Temple, Siripuram and AU Outage) in the city. Actually, the proposal of the VMR project was supposed to be ready by April. But utmost care is being taken to ensure that the stakeholders did not incur huge losses in the initial years.

One of the officials from the AMRC said that any project will be successful if the losses are minimum in the starting stage of the project. In such a way, the AMRC is planning to upgrade with latest trends which benefit both the project and the stake holders by avoiding indefinite losses at the primary stage of the project.  Due to recommendations in the project, the project was being delayed. 

He also said that the developer would be finalised among the already top five players through Request for Quotation (RFQ) based on their bids made against the proposal. Vizag Metro is being taken up under PPP model. Adani Enterprises Limited, TRIL Urban Transport Private Limited (TATA REALITY), Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Private Limited, Essel Infra Projects Limited and IL&FS Rail Limited submitted RFQ, he added.