Andhra Pradesh approves first phases of Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada metro projects

The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday approved the first phases of metro rail projects for Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. The estimated total cost of these projects is Rs 22,507 crore, with Rs 11,498 crore allocated for Visakhapatnam and Rs 11,009 crore for Vijayawada.
In Visakhapatnam, Phase-I will feature three corridors: Steel Plant Junction to Kommadi (34.40 km), Gurudwara to Old Post Office (5.08 km), and Thatichetlapalem to China Waltair (6.75 km), spanning a total of 46.23 km with 42 stations. The project will require 99.75 acres of land, costing Rs 882 crore.
Phase-II will introduce a fourth corridor from Kommadi to Bhogapuram, extending the metro system to 76.90 km, with an estimated Rs 14,309 crore cost. The project will follow a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with 40 per cent funding from the Centre and 60 per cent from private developers.
Meanwhile, the Vijayawada metro project will consist of two corridors in Phase-I: Gannavaram to Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) and PNBS to Penamaluru, totaling 38.40 km with 34 stations. The estimated cost for the first phase is Rs 11,009 crore, with Rs 1,152 crore allocated for land acquisition.
Phase-II will focus on a third corridor connecting PNBS to Amaravati’s Reservoir Station, a future development.
These projects are expected to transform the region’s transportation landscape, improving connectivity and reducing traffic congestion. The state government has already approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for both projects, which will be submitted to the Centre for further approvals.
This development follows previous setbacks in the metro approval process, with the Centre’s in-principle approval for the feasibility study and DPR preparation for the Vijayawada metro, later returned with guidelines for resubmission. In response, the Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (APMRCL) engaged Systra Consultants from France to revise the DPR, in line with updated Central government guidelines.