Systra-RITES JV submits revised DPR of Vijayawada Metro to AMRC

Vijayawada (Urban Transport News): France based global consultancy Systra with RITES had submitted a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the long-awaited Vijayawada Metro Rail project. To discuss on the revised draft DPR, representatives of the Systra Consultancy will meet the officials of Amarvathi Metro Rail Corporation (AMRC). After that, only the final DPR will be prepared according to the instruction received from the AMRC.

According to the first DPR, the project was only 26 kilometers long and was proposed on two corridors first from Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) to Nidamanuru and second from PNBS to Penamaluru in Vijayawada. As per the new DPR, which is likely to be finalized next month, there will be three corridors first from Vijayawada airport to Amaravati, second from Penamaluru to PNBS, and thirst from Railway Station to Jakkampudi which will cover across 75 kilometers metro rail network. The Systra took unexpcted time in submitting the revised DPR.

However, Systra officials attribute the delay to the extension of one of the corridors till Amaravati, the new capital city of the Andhra Pradesh. After the revision in the original DPR, Vijayawada Metro Rail track will be 77.2 km long. “Once the DPR is frozen, we will send it for the approval of the State Cabinet, whenever it is formed, which will tell us if we have to go for central funding or PPP or other means of fund mobilization. However, we will also give another try at getting central funding by submitting the DPR as per the new metro rail policy.

But, the final decision would be in the hands of the heads of next government,” an AMRC official said to TNIE, observing that the fate of the project would depend on the priorities of the next government. Sources said that Systra-RITES consortium will make the presentation on the revised DPR before the AMRC officials in a meeting scheduled on April 29, after that it would be forwarded to the steering committee for final scrutiny and then it would be sent to the State Government cabinet.

Systra has started working on the DPR last February but after facing difficulty it has formed a consortium with RITES to prepare the revised DPR for the project. However, the Systra group was finalized by AMRC after evaluating various bids (EOIs) submitted by several international firms.