The Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (APMRC) has approved participation of Joint Ventures (JVs) in the bidding process for the Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada metro rail projects to encourage wider competition among eligible firms.

APMRC Managing Director N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy said the move aims to complete the projects within 36 months through competent firms with proven experience in large-scale infrastructure projects. International Competitive Bidding (ICB) tenders for civil works of Visakhapatnam Metro Phase-I (46.23 km) and Vijayawada Metro Phase-I (38 km) were issued in the last week of July 2025.

During a recent pre-bid meeting, 13 companies suggested splitting the projects into multiple packages and allowing JVs to participate. While APMRC rejected splitting the projects—citing potential delays and cost escalation—it agreed to permit JVs to bid in line with Government of India and Central Vigilance Commission procurement guidelines.

The last date for submission of tenders for Visakhapatnam Metro is 10 October, and for Vijayawada Metro, 14 October 2025.

News source: The Hindu