A project proposal submitted by the GVMC to the Ministry of Urban Transport for Metro Rail project has identified four corridors for mass rapid transit (MRT).
The four are on the National Highway from Maddilapalem to NAD Junction (10 km); from the railway station to Gajuwaka via Scindia (14.73 km), Tagarapuvalasa to Hanumanthavaka on the highway (14 km) and NAD Junction to Gajuwaka (8.5 km).
After the proposal was submitted by the GVMC last month, the Urban Transport Department gave in-principle approval for going ahead with feasibility studies and DPR. The GVMC now has to select consultants for it.
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The GVMC has proposed to take up feasibility study on the four corridors and to finalise one metro corridor for a length of 25 km in the first phase to prepare a detailed project report at a cost of Rs.1.6 crore. The cost is footed equally by the State and Central Governments.
Municipal Commissioner M V Satyanarayana said on Monday the Central Government promised to foot 90 per cent of the cost of projects in Seemandhra as a part of the bifurcation package and Metro would qualify for such funding. Recently, the Chief Secretary had asked for details of the Metro project.
The four corridors have been identified based on a detailed study under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that prepared Low Carbon Mobility Plan with comprehensive mobility plan and suggesting integrated transport solutions.
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The plan says that that future central business districts (CBDs) will be in Gajuwaka, Pendurti and Madhurawada and transport axes will be along these growth corridors.
Earlier, in 2009 the Swedish Institute for Public Administration has conducted a review of Urban Transport Sector and suggested a plan for integrated urban transport solutions. It estimated that travel demand would increase from two million motorised trips per day to almost four million trips by 2021. As of now the city has two Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on Pendurti and Simhachalam corridors. Experts are of the view that depending on the population and spread the city requires a support transport for mass rapid transit systems to provide last mile connectivity.