The coastal city of Visakhapatnam, which is now designated as the administrative capital of Andhra Pradesh, may soon get 76.9 km long metro rail lines.

The AP Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (AMRC) is preparing a new Detailed Project Report (DPR) to cater to the increasing population of Visakhapatnam and pegged a cost of Rs 14,309 crore for the Vizag Metro Rail Project.

With three corridors, Vizag Metro will have 54 stops and two depots. The three corridors are Steel Plant to Bhogapuram Airport, Gurudwara to Old Post Office, and Thatichetlapalem to RK Beach (Chinna Waltair).

Revealing this information, AMRC managing director UJM Rao said that the State government is keen on implementing the project at the earliest and most likely, the works will start this year.

While delivering a speech on ‘Vizag Metro Rail-Smart Public Transport’, Rao said that DPR would be forwarded for the Centre’s approval after making a few changes, reports The New Indian Express.

“The 46-km Steel Plant-Kommadi corridor will be completed in five years, before taking up the Kommadi-Bheemili segment. Latest technology and U-shaped girders will be used. Once a section of the corridor is completed, it will be made operational,” Rao said.

According to AMRC, the Vizag Metro project is initially proposed to cater to a passenger capacity of five to six lakhs daily and to gradually increase the carrying capacity to more than 20 lakhs per day by 2054.

AMRC also plans to develop eight metro stations, namely Kommadi, Madhurawada, Railway station, Dwaraka Bus station, Gajuwaka, Saraswati circle, R.K Beach(Chinna Waltair), Steel plant junction station as one-stop shopping and entertainment hubs.