Maha Metro readies for BG metro on Ngp-Wardha route

Staff Reporter

Broad Gauge (BG) metro project of Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) is back on track and as per information the maiden service is likely to be introduced on Nagpur-Wardha Route. A meeting was held between the officials of Central Railway's Nagpur Division and Maha Metro about a fortnight back where modalities of running the BG metro service were finalised. Already an agreement was signed between Railway Board and MMRCL three years ago about Broad Gauge metro service.

A revised agreement is set to be signed next week with Railways, announced Union Nitin Gadkari during a function in city on Sunday evening. Earlier only six routes were proposed, and now MMRCL has added one more destination, that is Wadsa (Desaiganj) via Nagbhid.

MMRCL is likely to procure a rake of Vande Bharat train for introduction of BG metro on Nagpur-Wardha Road on experimental basis. The other routes proposed for running the superfast intra-city service are Nagpur-Amravati, Nagpur-Chhindwara, Nagpur-Betul, Nagpur-Ramtek, Nagpur-Gondia, Nagpur-Badnera. The fare on Nagpur-Wardha route is likely to be Rs. 150 and train will be fully air conditioned. However these routes are unlikely to start anytime soon and it would depend on success of Nagpur-Wardha operations.

Metro has also drawn-up plans for transporting parcel to earn extra bucks as they might need to invest in upgradation of platforms at other stations as per the agreement with Railways.

However, the introduction of BG metro service would put travellers on the route in soup as there is problem with Vande Bharat rake that requires high level platform to enable entry and exit from the train. At present only Nagpur, Sewagram and Wardha stations have high level platform and this in effect means BG metro would almost have non-stop run from Nagpur to Wardha.

As Nagpur-Wardha route is overburdened, its occupancy is 150 per cent, Railways as per agreement withdraw its passenger service on the route to make way for BG metro. This however would put travellers on small stations like Ajni, Khapri, Gumgaon, Butibori, Borkhedi, Sindi Rly, Tuljapur, Seloo Road at inconvenience as due to platform issue as BG metro would skip these stations.

The officials of Metro are baking on wooing majority of road users for their AC service as they claim it would be more affordable and convenient. The issue of sharing of revenue between Metro and Railways still remains a grey area and same may be sorted out in next few days, it is learnt.

Though Metro officials are talking about running the BG metro train at speed of 140 km/hr, the average speed may remain between 70 to 90 km/hr owing speed restrictions on the route.

At present only Rajdhani and Duranto Express are certified to run at maximum permissible speed of 120 km/hr and same is enhanced to 130 km/hr in small patches. The track curvature and old railway bridges and repair work from time to time do not permit speed of 130 km/hr throughout the route.