There is an urgent need to build metro rail project in Visakhapatnam, say local MLAs in the State Assembly

There is an urgent need to build metro rail project in Visakhapatnam, say local MLAs in the State Assembly

The Visakhapatnam Metro Rail Project took the centre stage during the second day of the ongoing Assembly session, as the local MLAs elaborated the issues being faced by the public due to the traffic and the dire requirement of rapid and fast transport system.

Gajuwaka MLA and Andhra Pradesh TDP president Palla Srinivasa Rao said that due to increase in population, number of vehicles, upcoming development projects and congested roads, people have been facing severe traffic problems in Visakhapatnam and there is a need for rapid transport system like metro rail. Only metro rail project can provide relief to motorists from the traffic issues, which are likely to rise in the coming years due to rapid urbanisation. Though the TDP had initiated steps to bring metro rail project during the year 2014, the YSRCP government neglected it during the last five years, he alleged.

Visakhapatnam West MLA P.V.G.R. Naidu said that no major road extension works have been taken up in the city for the past 40 years. It was the TDP which constructed the NAD flyover, apart from which no projects were taken up to ease traffic congestions, he said.

Visakhapatnam East MLA V. Ramakrishna Babu expressed the need for metro and flyovers in the city limits, in view of the upcoming international airport at Bhogapuram.

Anakapalli MLA (JSP) Konathala Ramakrishna urged the government to extend the Metro Rail Project to Anakapalli or at least to Lankelapalem, in view of the employees working in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Pharmacity.

“Anakapalli and Bheemunipatnam were merged into the GVMC expecting development. So, we request the government to extend the metro project till Lankelapalem,” he said.

Responding to the issue, Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana said that the State government has sought the Centre to implement the project on the basis of Kolkata model, wherein the entire project was undertaken by the Indian Railways. He also said that Visakhapatnam Metro Rail Project will be a two-layered at some busy junctions.