The Andhra Pradesh government will invite tenders for the metro rail projects in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, marking a significant step forward in enhancing urban mobility in the state.

Tenders will initially be invited for 40 per cent of the total project cost, which is estimated at Rs 216.16 billion—Rs 114.98 billion for Visakhapatnam and Rs 101.18 billion for Vijayawada. Both projects will be developed under a 50:50 cost-sharing model between the Central and State governments.

For funding support, the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) will contribute Rs 41.01 billion, while the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) will allocate Rs 34.97 billion for the Vijayawada project.

The Visakhapatnam metro will span 76.9 km across three corridors with around 54 stations. The Vijayawada metro will cover 38.9 km over two corridors—22 km from Gannavaram to PNBS and 11 km from PNBS to Penamaluru—featuring 33 stations, including one underground station and a 4.7 km double-decker flyover.

News source: The New Indian Express