The Central government is keen on implementing metro rail project in the State. Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali are being considered for the metro rail project, according to Union Urban Development Ministry Secretary Sudhir Krishna. Dr. Krishna and his team visited Vijayawada, Guntur and Tenali on Wednesday.
Dr. Krishna said the metro rail would be a circuit transport system which would connect Vijayawada, Guntur and Tenali cities. The project could be completed in 3 to 4 years covering a distance 20 to 25 km.
“The government, however, is asked to explore other means of mass transport like ‘mono rail’, Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and tramways. The State government shall prepare a feasibility report. The Centre would extend financial support based on the project’s feasibility,” he said.
The idea was to provide mass transport system in the cities to ease the ever-growing traffic. The metro rail would stop at every 1-km. “In fact, the metro rail concept was incorporated in AP Reorganisation Act. So, we are studying the feasibility,” he said.
Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali, Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (VGTMUDA) made a presentation that the region would have a population of 1.11 crore by 2031. Formation of State capital and setting up of other institutions would generate a multi-fold demand for mass transit system.
Urban mobility was expected to be more than 15,000 per hour in priority corridors.
There was a need to develop separate metro corridors to ease traffic in the city and increase mobility. A corridor from Hanuman Junction to Kanchikacherla via Gannavaram, Vijayawada and Ibrahimpatnam could be developed.
A corridor from Pamarru to Vijayawada covering a distance of 40 km, another corridor between Vijayawada and Edlapadu via Guntur covering a distance of 68 km and a 100-km circular corridor connecting Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali need to be developed, UDA officials said.
