VIJAYAWADA: The ambitious Vijayawada Metro Rail Project, conceived as a long-term solution to worsening traffic congestion and rapid urban growth, has entered a wait-and-watch phase amid uncertainty over Central Government approval, funding arrangements and concerns about the city’s infrastructure constraints.
Several public representatives have questioned the feasibility of a metro system under existing urban conditions, citing narrow roads, chronic congestion and pressure on infrastructure.
They have argued that the State Government should prioritise widening national highways and constructing additional flyovers to address immediate traffic issues arising from the rising number of vehicles and population.
In this backdrop, public representatives from Krishna district are planning to meet the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and submit a representation seeking a review of priorities in urban transport and traffic management.
“The metro project for Vijayawada is not viable. Even Hyderabad, which has nearly ten times the population of Vijayawada, is running its metro under losses. A metro system is not suitable for a city with a population of just 15 to 17 lakh. I opposed the project in 2014 and conveyed my concerns to the Chief Minister again about a month ago,” said a public representative from Vijayawada.
“Vijayawada needs more flyovers rather than a metro at this stage. Flyovers or road widening between Nidamanuru and Siddhartha Medical College, Benz Circle and PNBS Bus Station, and Benz Circle and Gosala should be taken up on priority to ease traffic congestion,” the public representative said.
Another public representative from Krishna district said they were not opposed to the metro in principle but stressed the need to first extend national highways and construct flyovers. He said all public representatives from the Krishna district plans to meet the CM soon to explain their stand.
With arterial roads operating beyond capacity, the State Government proposed a mass rapid transit system and engaged the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
In December 2024, the AP Cabinet approved the DPR for Phase I of the project. Phase I spans about 38.4 km across two corridors — from Gannavaram Airport to Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) along NH-16, and from PNBS to Penamaluru, covering residential and industrial areas.
The project includes 33 stations, comprising 32 elevated stations and one underground station near the PNBS–railway station zone for integration with bus and rail networks. A key feature is a 4.7-km double-decker flyover-cum-metro viaduct between Benz Circle and Ramavarappadu Ring Road, with traffic on the lower deck and metro operations on the upper deck.
The cost is about `11,000 crore, including nearly `1,150 crore for land acquisition. Around 90 acres have been identified for stations, depots and allied facilities. Land acquisition began in early 2025, and preliminary administrative processes have been completed along several stretches.
However, final approval and construction funding from the Centre are still pending. While the Centre has supported preliminary activities such as mobility studies and DPR preparation, it has not issued a formal funding sanction under the Metro Rail Policy. The State has sought enhanced Central assistance, but the Centre has favoured a shared funding model involving the Centre, the State and external borrowings, leaving fiscal closure uncertain.
To keep the project execution-ready, the Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited invited international EPC tenders for Phase I, covering viaducts, stations and the double-decker corridor, with an estimated value of about `4,000 crore. Although bids have been received, they are still under technical and financial evaluation. No contractor has been finalised and no work orders have been issued, with officials indicating that tender finalisation depends on clarity on funding and statutory approvals.