Mangalagiri: In a move underscoring growing public unease over the alignment of the Visakhapatnam Metro Rail Project, TDP State president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao, on Tuesday held deliberations with the Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (APMRCL), N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy, seeking a comprehensive reassessment of the proposed route.

The meeting, which took place at the APMRCL headquarters in Mangalagiri, comes amid mounting representations from local stakeholders — including members of the Gajuwaka Building Association, residential communities, and small business owners — who have raised red flags about the potential displacement and land acquisition implications of the current metro alignment.

Srinivasa Rao, voicing these apprehensions, contended that the existing alignment, originally drawn up in 2015, may no longer reflect the realities of Visakhapatnam’s evolving urban fabric. Citing rapid infrastructural expansion and shifting land use patterns, he urged that the design be revisited through an updated field inspection and ground-level verification.

He further emphasised that while the metro project was an indispensable infrastructural leap for the city, its implementation must be people-centric and sensitive to livelihood concerns. “Development cannot — and should not — come at the expense of public welfare. The metro must be designed with the citizen at its core, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum benefit,” Srinivasa Rao stated.

In response, Ramakrishna Reddy assured the formation of a fresh technical committee to undertake a holistic review of the alignment, with a mandate to assess social impact and optimise land acquisition. The review is expected to balance engineering feasibility with socio-economic considerations, thereby charting a course that is both progressive and equitable.

The Visakhapatnam Metro Rail Project, in its first phase, envisions a 46.23-kilometre network comprising 42 stations. The revised Detailed Project Report (DPR), recently approved by the State government, has paved the way for tender issuance on July 28. The Rs 11,498-crore initiative will necessitate the acquisition of 99.22 acres of land. Social Impact Assessment (SIA) consultations held from July 16 to 18 identified 204 project-affected families and 108 families facing displacement.

As the project progresses towards execution, Wednesday;s dialogue underscores the critical importance of sustained engagement between policymakers, implementing agencies, and the public to ensure inclusive and harmonious urban transformation.