Maharashtra Government clears broad gauge metro project

01 Nov 2020 CW Staff

Once implemented, metro coaches would run on Indian Railways’ track—the first ever such service to be introduced in India. Hailed as one of the most ambitious projects proposed by Maha Metro, it is expected to change the transportation pattern in Nagpur and neighbouring areas. It will utilise the existing infrastructure of Indian Railways by providing air-conditioned, faster, reliable and comfortable services between Nagpur and the four satellite towns.

In July 2018, an MoU was signed between Indian Railways and Maha Metro to link the railway line to metro coaches on the BG network and create a mass rapid transit system (MRTS) in Nagpur city.

This facility is expected to act as feeder service to the Nagpur Metro and will help increase its present ridership. It will also reduce dependency on private vehicles and transportation services and traffic congestion, further reducing accidents and pollution. The total distance covered by the project, involving all the four routes, is 265-km.

The Maha Metro trains will run at a speed of 120 kmph. The coaches will be equipped with all comforts for the commuters between the four locations. Initially, four trains will be put to service to connect the four locations. The number will be subsequently increased to eight after a certain period of time.

KFW, the international funding agency, that had also funded Maha Metro’s Phase 1, has agreed to finance the BG metro project to the tune of Rs.3,052 million of the total project cost of Rs.3,336 million.

Of the remaining amount, the Maharashtra government would also provide 50 per cent of the strategic debt (SD) of the Government of India (Rs.71 million) and 100 per cent (Rs.142 million) of the SD incurred by the state. Thus, collectively, an amount of `213 million would be sanctioned by the state government and the rest will be borne by the Centre.

The Maharashtra Cabinet has cleared the Rs.3,336 million broad- gauge (BG) metro proposal of Maha Metro, the state’s metro rail project company. It will now be sent to the Central Government for its approval. The project aims to provide high-speed connectivity to satellite towns around Nagpur, such as—Narkhed, Wardha, Bhandara and Ramtek. Once implemented, metro coaches would run on Indian Railways’ track—the first ever such service to be introduced in India. Hailed as one of the most ambitious projects proposed by Maha Metro, it is expected to change the transportation pattern in Nagpur and neighbouring areas. It will utilise the existing infrastructure of Indian Railways by providing air-conditioned, faster, reliable and comfortable services between Nagpur and the four satellite towns. In July 2018, an MoU was signed between Indian Railways and Maha Metro to link the railway line to metro coaches on the BG network and create a mass rapid transit system (MRTS) in Nagpur city.This facility is expected to act as feeder service to the Nagpur Metro and will help increase its present ridership. It will also reduce dependency on private vehicles and transportation services and traffic congestion, further reducing accidents and pollution. The total distance covered by the project, involving all the four routes, is 265-km.The Maha Metro trains will run at a speed of 120 kmph. The coaches will be equipped with all comforts for the commuters between the four locations. Initially, four trains will be put to service to connect the four locations. The number will be subsequently increased to eight after a certain period of time.KFW, the international funding agency, that had also funded Maha Metro’s Phase 1, has agreed to finance the BG metro project to the tune of Rs.3,052 million of the total project cost of Rs.3,336 million.Of the remaining amount, the Maharashtra government would also provide 50 per cent of the strategic debt (SD) of the Government of India (Rs.71 million) and 100 per cent (Rs.142 million) of the SD incurred by the state. Thus, collectively, an amount of `213 million would be sanctioned by the state government and the rest will be borne by the Centre.

Infrastructure Urban

09 Apr 2026

Mineral Auction Rules Amended To Speed Mine Operationalisation

The Ministry of Mines notified the Mineral (Auction) Second Amendment Rules, 2026 on 30 March 2026 to accelerate operationalisation of mines and improve ease of doing business in the mining sector. The amendment follows a prior change to the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015 effected on 17 October 2025 that introduced intermediary timelines between issuance of a letter of intent (LoI) and execution of the mining lease. The 2025 change provided that one per cent of performance security would be appropriated for each month of delay by the preferred bidder and introduced incentives for early operatio..

Infrastructure Transport

09 Apr 2026

Indian Railways Strengthens Telecom And AI Safety Systems

Indian Railways strengthened its telecom and digital infrastructure during 2025-26 with the aim of improving safety, operational efficiency and the passenger experience. The programme promoted modernisation through advanced technologies, robust communication systems and passenger-centric solutions. These measures were presented as part of a drive to build a digitally integrated rail ecosystem. A key development was the enhancement of the Internet Protocol Multi-Protocol Label Switching (IP MPLS) backbone, commissioned at 1,396 stations to meet bandwidth needs of mission-critical applications. ..

Infrastructure Transport

09 Apr 2026

NHAI Holds Workshop on Litigation Management and Coordination

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) organised a day-long workshop in New Delhi to strengthen capacity and interdepartmental synergy for faster execution of national highway projects. The event was held under Mission Karmayogi – Sadhana Saptah, an initiative of the Government of India to enhance governance through capacity building and improved processes. The workshop focused on structured and solution oriented deliberations to address implementation constraints. The session was chaired by the NHAI chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav and brought together senior officials from NHAI, the M..