The Chhattisgarh government has approved the Raipur-Durg metro rail project, marking a pivotal step in creating a State Capital Region (SCR), modelled on Delhi’s National Capital Region (NCR). The proposed SCR will bring together Raipur, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, and the Durg-Bhilai belt into an integrated urban cluster.

Aimed at enhancing connectivity, reducing congestion, and streamlining infrastructure, the metro project is expected to serve a population of over 5 million projected to live in the region by 2031.

To kickstart the initiative, the state has earmarked Rs 50 million in the 2024–25 budget for a comprehensive feasibility study. The recent approval by the State Cabinet enables the formation of the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) to steer planning and implementation.

Chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the CRDA will include cabinet ministers, senior bureaucrats, MLAs, and representatives from local bodies. A Chief Executive Officer will serve as member-secretary.

The CRDA has been entrusted with overseeing land use, infrastructure development, investments, and environmental management across the SCR. It also has powers to levy a special infrastructure cess to fund capital-intensive projects such as the metro, and will submit annual budgets and progress reports to the state government.

An executive committee comprising planners, engineers, financial officers, and district collectors from the SCR will coordinate ground-level execution. To support project financing, the government has created a Capital Region Development Fund and a Revolving Fund.

The government envisions the SCR as a major growth engine for Chhattisgarh, with the Raipur-Durg metro rail forming the backbone of improved mobility and integrated urban governance.