Metro: RFP document being readied

The project has been proposed on three corridors at a cost of ₹11,900 crore

An aerial view of Visakhapatnam. Metrol rail is being proposed to ease traffic congestion in the city.

The document for Request for Proposal for Light Metro for the city is being readied for submission to the State government.

With the car capacity reduced from 250 to 200, it is now being referred to Light Metro and all other details worked out in the earlier Detailed Project Report hold good, say sources.

The Metro, for which the detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, is proposed on three corridors with a total length of 42.5 km at a cost of ₹11,900 crore in September 2015.

The Visakhapatnam Metro is now proposed to be taken up in public private partnership (PPP) mode envisaging cost-sharing of 48% by the government and 52% by the successful bidder.

Five companies have submitted Expression of Interest/RFQ for the Metro project in February 2018 and Amaravti Metro Rail Corporation (AMRC), the implementing agency for Vizag Metro, and its transaction advisor Urban Mass Transit Company (UMTC), have evaluated them.

According to sources, the five companies -- Adani Enterprises Limited, Tata Reality and Infrastructure Limited (TRIL), Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Private Limited, Essel Infra Projects Limited and IL & FS Rail Limited have qualified for bidding.

The RFP document is being prepared by AMRC and UMTC and the draft is ready, it is learnt.

In the PPP proposal following the New Metro Rail policy, the State government will fund for civil infrastructure, land acquisition, shifting of utilities etc amounting to 48 % of the cost, including taxes, it is learnt. The private operator will bear the cost of rolling stock, signalling, electromechanical works, operation and maintenance and intelligent transport system. However, the project cost excludes the cost of land and relief and rehabilitation.

To be approved

The RFP document has to be approved by the State government after which it will be released to the five companies that qualified. In the PPP proposals, land parcels are to be allotted by the State government. After approval by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, they will be sent to the Union Government.

In the RFP, the companies will have to work out operational cost and revenue-earning and sharing in course of time once the Metro is operational. O & M will be for a period of 35 years, including five years for construction.