Collector K Bhaskar seeks detailed report on land for Vizag Metro

Visakhapatnam: District Collector K Bhaskar directed the officials to prepare and submit a detailed report in 15-days on the government and private lands required to the coming Vizag Metro Rail Project.

While holding a meeting at his office to discuss the Vizag Metro Rail on Tuesday, the Collector instructed the officials to complete the survey of the lands for the project and also mark the lands with survey stones. The project related works would be reviewed with the revenue, railway, sports, tourism, NHAI, Roads and Building officials for every 15-days, Bhaskar said.

The state government sanctioned the project for 42.55 km long line with three corridors at an estimated cost of Rs 8,300 crore. There will be 38 stations covering the three corridors (Kommadi-Gajuwaka 30.8-km, Gurudwara-Old Post Office 5.25 km and Thatichetlapalem-ChinaWaltair 6.5 km) under the project.

According to the officials, 92 per cent of the land required for the project belongs to the government and there would be no problem to acquire the remaining land. The railways have already sanctioned permission and `No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from National Highway Authority of India is still awaited. Initially two depots were proposed for the Metro Rail. The VPT is giving its land for one depot near Airport and revenue officials are working to allot land near Hanumanthawaka Junction for the second depot.

Though there is a big demand for expansion of the Metro Rail project to Anandapuram Junction, the government not considered and fixed the project for 42.5 km only. Managing Director Metro Rail Ramakrishna Reddy, General Manager UGM Rao, Deputy Collector Nagabhushanam and other officials were present.