CMP for Vizag metro rail project to be revised soon
RAILWAYS & METRO RAIL

CMP for Vizag metro rail project to be revised soon

Simhachalam BRTS Metro Rail Corporation Ltd is set to update Visakhapatnam's comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) following a request from the Union government. This update is seen as critical for advancing the proposed metro rail project, as the original CMP, developed in 2018, has a validity of five years. Given the changes in traffic volumes, mobility demands, and infrastructure needs, a revised plan is essential not only for the metro rail project but also for other public transportation improvements, including bus routes, metro feeder services, road network expansions, and new route alignments.

The update’s primary aim is to increase the share of public transport usage from 40% to between 50% and 55%. To support this goal, the plan will address missing links in the road network to distribute traffic more evenly across major routes. Key areas include the Simhachalam BRTS corridor connected to NH-16, as well as routes through NAD, Lankelapalem, Sontyam-Anandapuram, Peda Narava, Gangavaram-Tallapalem, and the Gajuwaka bypass. Past studies identified NAD junction as the highest traffic point, with 3.57 lakh passenger car units daily, while peak hours at major intersections such as Birla Junction and YSR Stadium account for around 10% of daily traffic.

A metro rail corporation source confirmed that the CMP update would proceed as requested by the Union government. The source noted that with the updated CMP’s five-year validity, it would facilitate smooth planning and execution of the metro rail project.

In the previous CMP, service level benchmarks were categorised across four levels (LoS 1-4), with LoS 1 indicating the best service. Visakhapatnam's public transport, primarily managed by APSRTC, achieves 100% organised coverage, though with a low availability rate of 0.29 per 1,000 residents, resulting in an LoS of 2. Average waiting times for buses, ranging from 5 to 10 minutes, are graded as LoS 3, while overall public transport coverage over 250 km of the 643 sq km city area also reflects LoS 3.

Pedestrian infrastructure is graded at LoS 2, with only 23% of the surveyed network featuring paved footpaths, and many intersections falling short on pedestrian wait-time standards. Non-motorised transport facilities score poorly, with an LoS of 4, while intelligent transport system utilisation remains low, marked by limited traffic surveillance (8.84%, LoS 4) and unsynchronised signals. Average travel speeds are 28 km/h for personal vehicles and 18 km/h for public transport, both yielding an LoS of 2.

Simhachalam BRTS Metro Rail Corporation Ltd is set to update Visakhapatnam's comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) following a request from the Union government. This update is seen as critical for advancing the proposed metro rail project, as the original CMP, developed in 2018, has a validity of five years. Given the changes in traffic volumes, mobility demands, and infrastructure needs, a revised plan is essential not only for the metro rail project but also for other public transportation improvements, including bus routes, metro feeder services, road network expansions, and new route alignments. The update’s primary aim is to increase the share of public transport usage from 40% to between 50% and 55%. To support this goal, the plan will address missing links in the road network to distribute traffic more evenly across major routes. Key areas include the Simhachalam BRTS corridor connected to NH-16, as well as routes through NAD, Lankelapalem, Sontyam-Anandapuram, Peda Narava, Gangavaram-Tallapalem, and the Gajuwaka bypass. Past studies identified NAD junction as the highest traffic point, with 3.57 lakh passenger car units daily, while peak hours at major intersections such as Birla Junction and YSR Stadium account for around 10% of daily traffic. A metro rail corporation source confirmed that the CMP update would proceed as requested by the Union government. The source noted that with the updated CMP’s five-year validity, it would facilitate smooth planning and execution of the metro rail project. In the previous CMP, service level benchmarks were categorised across four levels (LoS 1-4), with LoS 1 indicating the best service. Visakhapatnam's public transport, primarily managed by APSRTC, achieves 100% organised coverage, though with a low availability rate of 0.29 per 1,000 residents, resulting in an LoS of 2. Average waiting times for buses, ranging from 5 to 10 minutes, are graded as LoS 3, while overall public transport coverage over 250 km of the 643 sq km city area also reflects LoS 3. Pedestrian infrastructure is graded at LoS 2, with only 23% of the surveyed network featuring paved footpaths, and many intersections falling short on pedestrian wait-time standards. Non-motorised transport facilities score poorly, with an LoS of 4, while intelligent transport system utilisation remains low, marked by limited traffic surveillance (8.84%, LoS 4) and unsynchronised signals. Average travel speeds are 28 km/h for personal vehicles and 18 km/h for public transport, both yielding an LoS of 2.

Next Story
Building Material

Suraj Estate Wins Euromoney Award for India’s Best Residential Developer

"Suraj Estate Developers Limited has received the Euromoney Real Estate Award 2025 for ‘India’s Best Residential Developer’, positioning the company among globally benchmarked leaders in the sector. The recognition reflects its four-decade legacy in delivering high-quality residential and redevelopment-led projects across South Central Mumbai. The Euromoney Real Estate Awards, presented by the London-based Euromoney magazine, are widely regarded as one of the most credible global assessments of performance in real estate, banking and finance. Winners are selected through surveys of inte..

Next Story
Building Material

Lloyds Metals, Tata Steel Sign MoU to Explore Strategic Collaboration

"Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Tata Steel Limited to evaluate potential areas of strategic cooperation across mining, logistics, pelletisation and steelmaking. The MoU was signed by B Prabhakaran, Managing Director of Lloyds Metals, and Mr T V Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel. The partnership framework aims to leverage the natural operational synergies between both companies and assess opportunities in greenfield steel projects, iron ore mining, slurry pipeline infrastructure, pellet manufacturing in iron ore–ric..

Next Story
Building Material

IndiaAI, Gujarat Govt Host Regional Conclave Ahead of 2026 AI Summit

The IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, along with the Government of Gujarat and IIT Gandhinagar, convened a Regional Pre-Summit Event at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. The initiative is part of the build-up to the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for 15–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The conclave brought together senior policymakers, technology leaders, researchers and industry practitioners to examine how AI can accelerate economic, digital and social transformation across sectors. The programme focused on the overarching th..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Open In App