As Visakhapatnam speeds up preparations for a modern rapid transit system, the blueprint for the much-hyped double-decker component of the infrastructure of the Vizag Metro Rail (VMR) has undergone a significant downscaling following expert safety and feasibility reviews. The project is reportedly pending at this stage, as authorities are believed to be dissatisfied with the latest recommendations.

According to highly placed sources within administrative circles, the initial vision for a sprawling multi-tier transport network has been carefully trimmed to address ground-level engineering realities and traffic patterns.

When the urban transit project was first conceptualised, the Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation had pitched an ambitious plan for a 20-kilometre double-decker viaduct along the bustling national highway corridors of the total rail length of 76 km. The idea was to stack a four-lane road flyover above normal traffic, with the light metro rail tracks running on the very top layer. However, after detailed traffic density surveys and technical studies, railway consultancy major RITES advised that a shorter 13-kilometre double-decker integrated stretch would be practically sufficient to handle peak commuter loads without excessive public expenditure or prolonged disruption.

In a fresh reassessment, that already-reduced 13-kilometre proposal has now been sharply scaled down to 2.1km.

Highly placed sources revealed that the integrated double-decker stretch is currently limited to a targeted 2.1-kilometre corridor specifically between Hanumanthawaka and Gurudwara.

Planners believe focusing the multi-layered engineering on this intense urban bottleneck will yield maximum relief for daily commuters while keeping construction manageable.

Future outlook

The overarching Visakhapatnam Metro Rail initiative aims to connect key industrial nodes, residential hubs, and commercial sectors across multiple corridors to ease growing vehicular congestion. By combining highway flyovers with elevated rail tracks on a single pillar footprint, the government intends to save valuable urban land and minimise property acquisition along the way.

The comprehensive network, including Phase -1 and Phase -2, which includes 20-km of double-decker separately is planned to span over 76.7 kilometres across multiple phases, backed by an initial phase framework covering 46.23 kilometres (Phase - 1), which is confined to city limits, across three dedicated stretches such as 34.40 km line from Steel Plant Junction to Kommadi, a 5.08 km segment from Gurudwara to Old Post Office Junction, and a 6.75 km route from Thatichetlapalem to Chinna Waltair, featuring 42 stations at an estimated investment exceeding ₹11,400 crore.

Addressing the ongoing administrative and technical reviews, Metro Rail Managing Director N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy told The Hindu, “Yes, discussions are going on the new recommendations of the RITES. Once finalised, we will move further on it. Progress is good.”

Authorities are expected to finalise these alignment adjustments soon before pushing the broader civil work packages into their next implementation phase.

Published - August 21, 2026 12:01 am IST