Vijayawada Metro

Vijayawada Metro
Overview
OwnerAndhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited
LocaleAndhra Pradesh Capital Region
Transit typeRapid transit
Websitehttps://amrc.ap.gov.in/vijayawada-metro.php

Vijayawada Metro is a planned rapid transit system for the city of Vijayawada, located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The approved DPR consists of 3 lines with a total length of 74.2 kilometres.[1][2]

History

Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced plans to construct a brand new capital in Amaravati with Vijayawada as its gateway. [3][4][5] As part of this plan the government announced its plans to build a metro system in Vijayawada. Initially, the government explored ideas to link Vijaywada to nearby cities such as Tenali and Guntur using the metro system.[6] This idea was later cancelled and it was announced that the metro would stay confined to the city.[7][8]

The Andhra Pradesh government announced that it had appointed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the city. The DPR submitted by DMRC proposed two routes.[9][10] The first corridor would run from the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) to Penamaluru and the second corridor would run from Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) to Nidamanuru via Vijayawada Airport. The two corridors were proposed to be fully elevated and totaled to a distance of 26.03 km (16.17 mi) with an estimated cost of ₹6,823 crore (US$810 million).[11][12] The project was then submitted to the minsitry of urban affairs for approval. Following this, DMRC invited tenders for the construction of the two corridors on 25 September 2015.[13][14] However, the tenders were later cancelled due to the central governments new Metro Rail policy, which increased the scrutiny regarding ridership and cost projections.[15][16] Later DMRC ended its MoU with the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation, which forced the AMRC to explore a PPP alternative to build the metro lines.[17][18]

Due to the new policy, the government revised the line from a heavy-rail based mass rapid transit system to a Light Rail Transit System. The new plan involved building a 66.2 km (41.1 mi) network with a cost of ₹15,000 crore (US$1.8 billion). However, unlike the previous plan the plan would see construction spread across Gannavaram – Vijayawada – Amravati across 3 different phases.[19] The revised DPR was then submitted by SYSTRA – RITES – GOPA JV to the government in April 2019.[20][21]

However, following the 2019 Andhra Pradesh elections the newly elected chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy announced it was putting the project on hold. This was part of the governments broader plan to revise the plans to build Amaravati as the sole capital of the state.[22][23] Later in 2020, the government announced that the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation (AMRC) would be renamed to Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (APMRC).[24][25]

Once again however, following the 2024 Andhra Pradesh election Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced that both Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam Metro would be back on track. The government approved the new DPRs for Vijayawada and Visakapathnam.[26] In March 2025, it was annocuned Systra would be tasked with the responsibility of updating the comprehensive mobility plans (CMP) for Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada metro.[27] Soon the government also announced that the land acquisition for the project would resume after it was put on hold in 2019.[28][29] The revised CMP was submitted to the state government who approved it later. The state government then forwarded the updated CMP and brand new DPRs to the central government for approval.[30][31]

Construction

Phase 1 network
Corridor Terminals Stations Distance (km) Status
1 Pandit Nehru Bus Station Penamaluru 12 12.50 km (7.77 mi) Proposed
2 Pandit Nehru Bus Station Nidamanuru 13 25.90 km (16.09 mi) Proposed
Nidamanuru Ganavaram Bus Stand 8 Proposed
Total 33 38.40 km (23.86 mi)
Phase 2 network
3 Pandit Nehru Bus Station Amaravathi Reservoir Station 19 27.80 km (17.27 mi) Proposed
Total 19 27.80 km (17.27 mi)

Stations

There are 3 corridors currently proposed for the metro system. The first proposed corridor runs from Pandit Nehru Bus Station to Penamaluru has 12 proposed station, all of which are elevated. The second proposed corridor runs from Pandit Nehru Bus Station to Ganavaram Bus Stand and has a total of 22 stations of which 21 are elevated and 1 is underground. The third proposed corridor runs from Pandit Nehru Bus Station to Amaravathi Reservoir Station and has a total of 19 stations of which 3 are proposed to be elevated and 16 are underground.

Vijayawada Metro Stations
Corridor 1 2 3
sno PNBS to Gannavaram Bus Stand Layout PNBS to Penamaluru Layout PNBS to Amaravathi Reservoir Station Layout
1 PNBS Elevated PNBS Elevated PNBS Elevated
2 Railway Station South Elevated Victoria Jubilee Museum Elevated Mahanadu Elevated
3 Railway Station East Elevated Municipal Stadium Elevated Krishna Canal Junction Elevated
4 Besant Road Elevated Tikkle Road Elevated Polkampadu Underground
5 Seetharampuram Signal Elevated Benz Circle Elevated Undavalli Centre Underground
6 Machavaram Down Elevated Auto Nagar Elevated Undavalli Underground
7 Padavalarevu Elevated Ashok Nagar Elevated Venkata Palem (East) Underground
8 Gunadala Elevated Krishna Nagar Elevated Venkata Palem (West) Underground
9 Ramavarappadu Ring Elevated Kanuru Centre Elevated Tallaya Palem Underground
10 Prasadampadu Elevated Tadigadapa Elevated Mandadam Underground
11 MBT Center Elevated Poranki Elevated Uddandrayuni Palem Underground
12 Enikepadu Elevated Penamaluru Elevated Lingaya Palem Underground
13 Nidamanuru Elevated The Square Station Underground
14 Nidamanuru Railway Station Elevated Central Park Station Underground
15 Sri Chaitanya College Elevated Ceremonial Space Station Underground
16 Gudavali Elevated Assembly Station Underground
17 Velpuru Elevated FG Station Underground
18 Kesarapalle Elevated GH Station Underground
19 Airport Underground Amaravathi Reservoir Station Underground
20 Yogashram Elevated
21 Gannavaram Elevated
22 Gannavaram Bus Stand Elevated

See also

References

  1. ^ Raghavendra, V. (2025-01-30). "Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam metrorails: Andhra Pradesh Government gives nod for land acquisition". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-02-07.
  2. ^ "Andhra Metro Rail News: Andhra Pradesh govt approves double-decker metro rail for Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2025-02-07.
  3. ^ P. Pavan (June 7, 2015). "Naidu performs Bhoomi pooja for AP capital". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  4. ^ "PM Modi to lay foundation stone of new Andhra Pradesh capital on October 22". India Today. 1999-11-30. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  5. ^ "Vijayawada will become Gateway of Amaravati, says Andhra MP Kesineni". The New Indian Express. Express News Service. 2025-04-25. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  6. ^ "Metro rail project plans gain momentum". The Hindu. 2014-06-18. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  7. ^ "Metro rail will be confined to Vijayawada: Sreedharan". The Times of India. 2014-09-21. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
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  9. ^ "Govt. wants Amaravati metro integrated with Thullur on priority". The Hindu. 2015-11-23. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  10. ^ "Metro rail authority to tie up with DMRC". The Hindu. 2016-05-13. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  11. ^ "DPR on Vijayawada Metro Rail submitted to Chief Minister". The Hindu. 2015-04-27. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  12. ^ Raj, R. Prithvi (2015-04-02). "Chandrababu Naidu May Clear Vijayawada Metro Rail DPR by April 20". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  13. ^ "Tenders invited for metro rail corridor". The Hindu. 2015-09-25. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  14. ^ "Delhi Metro Rail floats tenders for Vijayawada metro". BusinessLine. 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  15. ^ "Vijayawada metro rail project in limbo as DMRC suspends tender process". The Times of India. 2017-06-01. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  16. ^ Raghavendra, V. (2017-06-04). "Fresh tenders not yet invited for metro corridor". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  17. ^ "Delhi Metro ends MoU with Amaravati Rail". Deccan Chronicle. 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  18. ^ "Google Search". Google. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  19. ^ "A White Paper" (PDF). Department of Municipal Administration& Urban Development. December 2018.
  20. ^ "Systra-RITES JV submits revised DPR of Vijayawada Metro to AMRC". Urban Transport News. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  21. ^ Shah, Narendra (2019-04-20). "Systra Submit Vijayawada Metro DPR - Metro Rail News". Metrorail News. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  22. ^ "Concept of 3 capitals to be considered in Andhra Pradesh: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy". India Today. 2019-12-17. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  23. ^ "Andhra Pradesh to have three capitals, says YS Jaganmohan Reddy". The Times of India. 2019-12-17. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  24. ^ "Amaravati Metro is now AP Metro Rail". The Times of India. 2020-04-29. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  25. ^ "Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation rechristened AP Metro Rail Corporation Limited". The New Indian Express. 2020-04-28. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  26. ^ "Andhra Pradesh govt approves DPR for Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam metro rail projects". The New Indian Express. Express News Service. 2024-12-03. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  27. ^ Raghavendra, V. (2025-03-19). "Vijayawada and Vizag metro rails: Centre approves appointment of SYSTRA MVA Consulting for preparing mobility plans". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  28. ^ Raghavendra, V. (2025-03-04). "Govt. authorises APMRCL to acquire land for Vizag and Vijayawada metro rail projects". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  29. ^ "Officials to take up land acquistion for phase-1 of Vijayawada metro". The Times of India. 2025-03-08. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  30. ^ "విజయవాడ మెట్రో రైలు ప్రాజెక్ట్‌లో మరో ముందడుగు.. CMP పక్రియ పూర్తి, కొత్త బస్టాప్‌లు". Samayam Telugu (in Telugu). Retrieved 2025-06-14.
  31. ^ "Metro rail will transform Vijaywada: NTR District Collector Lakshmisha". The New Indian Express. Express News Service. 2025-06-14. Retrieved 2025-06-14.
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