At-grade urban rail transit system for Vijayawada city under study

Vijayawada: The AP government is studying alternative plans to introduce metro rail in Vijayawada. Now, the government has changed its initial elevated metro rail corridor plan and the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation is studying the “At-Grade Urban Rail Transit System”. According to officials, the At-grade system is low-cost transport system compared to elevated or underground rail system.  

Earlier, the government launched the metro rail project almost three years ago with an outlay of Rs 6,000 crore. It wanted to construct the project with help from the Centre. At one stage, the Centre also formally accepted to bear 20 per cent expenditure as its share. The government planned to provide metro rail facility in two corridors from Pundit Nehru Bus Station to Penamaluru and Pundit Nehru Bus Station to Gannavaram.

Later, the government decided to extend the project up to Amaravati capital city. The government allocated Rs 100 crore for the land acquisition process. But the state government suspended the project midway by paying attention to other options after the Centre’s “non-cooperation” towards project implementation. 

In this backdrop, the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation has begun studying At-Grade Urban Rail System. Under this project, the track would be laid on the road itself. The construction cost of the at-grade transport system is very less compared to elevated metro rail corridor. Nearly, Rs 250 crore is required for each kilometer of elevated metro rail corridor but only Rs 100-150 crore is needed under the at-grade system. 

So, the project cost will come down by 50 per cent, if the At-Grade Urban Transit system is introduced, said Amaravati Metro Rail Managing Director M Ramakrishna Reddy.  Speaking to The Hans India, Reddy said the detailed project report (DPR) is being finalized for the project.

He also said that the elegance of Mahatma Gandhi Road also could be protected, if the at-grade system is implemented. “The width of Mahatma Gandhi Road is 32 meters and the at-grade transport system could be introduced without any hurdles. The various European countries are also following the same transport system,” he said.

By Naga Srinivas Patibandla