VIJAYAWADA: In a significant development, the AP govt directed collectors of NTR and Visakhapatnam districts to commence land acquisition process required for the construction of the proposed metro corridors in these two cities.
Speaking to TOI, NTR district collector Dr G Lakshimisha said, “We received the govt orders to acquire a total of 91.69 acres for the construction of a metro spanning 38.4 km along Penamaluru and Gannavaram corridors as part of the Vijayawada metro rail project.”
“Shortly, the competent authority for land acquisition (CALA), headed by a joint collector, will be formed to identify landowners whose lands are to be acquired for the metro project. They will analyse the market value and proceed with the compensation and other procedures related to the land acquisition,” the district collector said. The collector added that the land acquisition would be completed in six months, provided there are no legal hurdles.
The govt also directed Visakhapatnam district collector to proceed with the land acquisition process for the construction of the metro rail project in Visakhapatnam. The AP cabinet, which met in December 2024, approved the phase-1 construction of the metro rail projects in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam cities and sent the two metro project DPRs costing Rs 11,009 crore for the centre’s approval.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu wrote a letter to the centre seeking 100% funding for the construction of the metro rail projects in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.
