Vizag Metro Rail to have two metro depots, near VIMS and Vizag Port

As part of the Vizag Metro Rail (VMR) project, two Metro Rail Depots (MRD) are proposed to be set up at two different locations, Old Dairy Farm (ODF) near Visakhapatnam Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), and near Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA), in the city.

In particular, the Metro Depot is a crucial part of infrastructure that ensures the efficient and safe operation of the metro system.

Master Plan of Vizag Metro Rail project

The MRD is a facility that stores, maintains and repairs metro trains/cars. It serves as an operational base for the metro system, providing parking, servicing and administrative functions. The depots are equipped with various facilities including inspection lines, maintenance workshops and train wash plants. They are also storage centres to keep the train coaches/cars when they are not in service, ensuring that they are readily available for the next operational period.

This MRD also serves as a central hub for train movements like shunting and manning. Depots often have administrative offices to manage metro operations and staff.

For this, each depot requires at least 35 to 40 acres of land.

The VMR requires about 100 (99.75) acres of land for the entire 46.23 km phase-1 on the three corridors in the city. The potential investment for land alone is about ₹890 crore.

As part of the land acquisition process, a social impact assessment (SIA) is currently being conducted. The land requirement includes about nine acres of private land and about 87 acres of government land. Visakhapatnam district authorities are currently working on it with the SIA team, as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013.

The SIA survey was officially announced on May 30, 2025, through an official notification by the district Collector’s office. The SIA aims to verify the public interest of the project, land requirement, explore alternative land options and impact on local food security.

According to the data submitted by A.P. Metro Rail Corporation (APMRC), the land to be acquired or alienated includes more than 9 acres of private land, and 87 acres of government land (36 acres of VPT, 4 acres of railways, 47 acres Animal Husbandry and other departments at the Old Dairy Farm, and less than one acre of D-patta houses.

“Yes, the Visakhapatnam district administration is currently working on land allocation related works. We are waiting for a call from the Visakhapatnam Collector, who may receive the final SIA report soon,” APMRC Managing Director N.P Ramakrishna Reddy told The Hindu on June 23 (Monday).