The Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (APMRC) has announced that joint ventures (JVs) will now be eligible to participate in the bidding process for the upcoming metro rail projects in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, a move aimed at boosting wider participation from qualified infrastructure players.

APMRC Managing Director NP Ramakrishna Reddy said the decision would enable broader participation from competent firms with proven expertise in large-scale infrastructure projects. He emphasised that the corporation remains committed to completing both metro projects within 36 months.

International Competitive Bidding (ICB) tenders for Visakhapatnam Metro Phase I (46.23 km) and Vijayawada Metro Phase I (38 km) were floated in late July 2025. During a pre-bid meeting, 13 companies requested that the projects be split into two or more packages and that joint ventures be permitted to compete.

While APMRC declined the proposal to split the projects, citing risks of cost escalation and delays, it accepted the request to allow JVs in line with procurement guidelines from the Government of India and the Central Vigilance Commission.

The deadline for submission of tenders has been set for 10 October 2025 for the Visakhapatnam project and 14 October 2025 for the Vijayawada project. The revised bidding rules are expected to attract robust consortiums with the technical know-how and financial capacity to deliver the projects on schedule.

Meanwhile, the state government has reiterated its call for 100 per cent central funding for both metro corridors, underscoring their importance to Andhra Pradesh’s urban mobility and infrastructure growth.

News source: Swarajya