The ambitious Nagpur Metro Rail Project’s Phase-II is expected to be completed by December 2027. Till November 2023, 1.94 per cent of the Phase-II works have been completed. This was stated by Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, in reply to a starred question by Members of Parliament from Maharashtra namely Krupal Tumane (Ramtek) and Gajanan Kirtikar (Mumbai North-West). Tumane and Kirtikar sought to know the details regarding length, financial assistance, progress of metro rail projects in the country. In response, Puri stated that presently 905 kms of metro rail network was operational in the country. Of this, 141 km is in Maharashtra including 40 km in Nagpur, 24 km in Pune, and 77 in Mumbai. As per the minister’s reply, Central Government allocated total Rs 4,038.03 crore to Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (Maha Metro) for Nagpur Metro Rail Project in five years from 2018-19 to 2022-23. In the current year, 2023-24, the Centre has allocated Rs 1,199.06 crore for the project. Further, Puri stated, Maha Metro received Rs 202.17 crore through private participation since 2018-19 to November 30, 2023. However, the minister’s reply did not provide further details as to which private agencies provided funds to Maha Metro during the said period.

 

The proposal for Nagpur Metro Phase-II was received from Maharashtra Government in 2022. The Phase-II will cover a length of 43.80 km, and the cost involved is Rs 6,708 crore. This phase will have four corridors -- MIHAN to MIDC elevated service reservoir, Automotive Square to Kanhan river, Lokmanya Nagar to Hingna, and Prajapati Nagar to Transport Nagar, stated the Union Minister in his reply to the starred question in Lok Sabha. As per the Maha Metro’s detailed project report, the Phase-II of Nagpur Metro Rail project covers rural parts of Nagpur district and will serve as an extension to Phase-I. The proposed Phase-II will be spread over 43.8 km length with 32 stations. The Phase-I of Nagpur Metro has four corridors of 40 km length with a total of 38 stations. Once the Phase-II is completed, Nagpur city and district will together have a metro network of about 84 km with 70 stations.

 

The proposed corridors under Phase-II of Nagpur Metro are as follows: MIHAN to Butibori MIDC ESR -- 18.7 km length and 10 stations, covering catchment area of Jamtha, Dongargaon, Mohgaon, Butibori, MHADA Colony, Indorama Colony; Automotive Square to Kanhan -- 13 km, 12 stations, catering to the areas of Khasara, Lekha Nagar, Kamptee, and Dragon Palace Temple; Prajapati Nagar to Transport Nagar -- 5.5 km, three stations, catering to the vicinity of Ambe Nagar, Kapsi, Transport Nagar, and Asoli; Lokmanya Nagar to Hingna -- 6.6 km, seven stations, covering Nildoh, Gajanan Nagar, Rajiv Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Raipur, and Hingna town. The entire Phase-II network is proposed to be elevated.