CM inaugurates Nagpur Metro’s Aqua Line

The commercial run of Nagpur Metro’s Aqua Line began after the inauguration on Tuesday. (Pic by Satish Raut)

Principal Correspondent :

Because of Broad guage railway network along with Nagpur Metro the cities like Bhandara, Gondia, Gadchiroli, Wardha will be connected to Nagpur to develop a Satelite Town, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed hope

Appreciating the name ‘Mazi Metro’ which means Metro belongs to everybody, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray from Mantralaya through video link, launched e-plaque and showed a green flag to 18.5 km Lokmanya Tilak Station to Sitabuldi Aqua Line. He said, “The identity of all cities in Maharashtra should be preserved while developing them. Citizens will find Nagpur Metro near to their hearts as it is named as ‘Mazi Metro (my metro)’. Citizens should properly use these facilities and improve it.” The programme was held at Subhash Nagar Metro Station at Hingna Road. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was the chief guest. Union Urban Development Secretary D S Mishra, Nagpur’s Guardian Minister Dr Nitin Raut, Maharashtra’s Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Maharashtra’s Animal Husbandry Minister Sunil Kedar, Maharashtra’s Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, ex-Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in State Assembly Devendra Fadnavis, Mayor Sandip Joshi, Rajya Sabha Member Dr Vikas Mahatme, Lok Sabha Member of Ramtek Krupal Tumane, Chief Managing Director of Nagpur Mahametro Brajesh Dixit were seated on the dais. In Mantralaya along with Chief Minister, prominent among those present were Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Bhushan Gagrani, Vikas Kharge, Director of Maha Metro Ramnath Subramanian, and Atul Gadgil.

(Left) Union Minister Nitin Gadkari addressing the gathering. (Right) Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray addressing through video conferencing. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Urban Development Secretary D S Mishra, Nagpur’s Guardian Minister Dr Nitin Raut, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Animal Husbandry Minister Sunil Kedar, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, ex-Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in State Assembly Devendra Fadnavis, Mayor Sandip Joshi, Rajya Sabha Member Dr Vikas Mahatme, Lok Sabha Member of Ramtek Krupal Tumane look on. (Pic by Satish Raut)

Union Minister of State for Urban Development Hardip Singh Puri too participated in the function through video conferencing. Thackeray further said, “Every city should be developed without harming its identity and countenance. Basic facilities and transportation systems are lifelines of any development. Due credits should be given to the deserving people who worked hard for Nagpur Metro. We want people’s blessings and not credit.” Thackeray vouched that the development of Nagpur would not be compromised on any condition. He also enforced that a city’s identity should be preserved while developing it.

He also said that the industry would get a boost with the provision of basic facilities. Pointing out that permissions for some developmental work are pending with Central Government, Thackeray said, “These permissions are necessary for the development of Maharashtra; Maharashtrian members in the Cabinet should try for these permissions. All should take efforts to create people-oriented Maharashtra. I want to travel in Nagpur Metro some time.” “Because of Broad guage railway network along with Nagpur Metro the cities like Bhandara, Gondia, Gadchiroli, Wardha will be connected to Nagpur to develop a Satelite Town,” Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed hope. It is proposed in the broadgauge network that Metro coaches would be operated on the tracks of Indian Railway and they will have the speed of 120 km per hour. If the rolling stocks of Nagpur and Pune network can be created at Dryport of Wardha, the cost of production of rolling stock will be reduced, pointed out Gadkari.

He also informed the audience, Metro would be expanded upto Hingna, Kamptee, Butibori in phase two. Mishra told audience, “The Metro work began in 2014. The actual work began in 2015 and till now Rs 8,680 crore have been spent on the project. In March 2019 North South Orange Line started functioning.” He also read the message of best wishes by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Of the 25 kms total route six stations are ready namely Lokmanya Nagar, Bansi Nagar Road, Subhash Nagar, Ambazari Lake View, LAD Square, Shankar Nagar, Institute of Engineers and Jhansi Rani Square.

All leaders claim credit All leaders claimed credit of Metro in Nagpur. The difference of opinions came to the fore when Dr Nitin Raut, Anil Deshmukh and Sunil Kedar attributed the credit to their leaders. While Dr Raut attributed it to Prithviraj Chavan who headed State along with Nationalist Congress Party; Anil Deshmukh and Sunil Kedar were unanimous that it was the brainchild of late Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. After listening to their speeches, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari took a considerate approach and said, “While taking the names of some leaders how can you forget our long-time Member of Parliament Vilas Muttemwar? The credit should be attributed to all. We all worked and Metro became the reality.” Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray too spoke on the same line.