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
Infrastructure Transport

Tata, Airbus to Build India’s First Private Helicopter Line

In a landmark development for India’s aerospace sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus will establish the country’s first private-sector helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 and H125M, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in aviation and defence manufacturing. The new Final Assembly Line (FAL) will produce the H125, the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, known for its versatility and performance in extreme environments. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected to ro..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

NeGD to Support Bharat Taxi in Building Cooperative Ride Platform

In a significant move for India’s digital and mobility transformation, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of the Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has entered into an advisory partnership with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the company behind Bharat Taxi — a first-of-its-kind, cooperative-led national ride-hailing platform. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between NeGD and Sahakar Taxi to provide strategic advisory and technical support covering key areas such as platform integration, cybersecurity..

Next Story
Technology

MeitY Hosts Pre-Summit for India–AI Impact Summit 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted a series of Pre-Summit events for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. These sessions mark a key milestone ahead of the main summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Delivering the inaugural address, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s innovative and frugal approach to AI development. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from others’ experiences to build projects and products that..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?