Introduction
Nagpur, situated in the central region of India and commonly referred to as the “Orange City,” is aptly recognised as the “Heart of India.” This city is renowned for its significant pilgrimage sites, including Deekshabhoomi and the Dragon Palace, as well as cultural institutions such as the Nagpur Central Museum and the Narrow Gauge Rail Museum. Due to its strategic geographical position, Nagpur serves as an essential hub for transportation and trade, emerging as a fast-growing logistics hub. The city is also home to the regional office of the Reserve Bank of India.
As the second capital of the state of Maharashtra, Nagpur is the third largest city within the state and ranks as the thirteenth largest urban conglomeration in India. It encompasses an area of 217.6 square kilometres, while the Nagpur Metro Region boasts a population of approximately 3 million residents and an area of about 3,567.37 square kilometres. The rapid urbanisation of Nagpur has led to substantial population growth, which has in turn resulted in major challenges, like traffic congestion experienced on the city’s roadways.
The transport infrastructure of Nagpur has struggled to accommodate this swift urban development and the increasing number of commuters, thereby necessitating the establishment of an efficient and reliable transportation system to meet the needs of its inhabitants. In response to these challenges, the Nagpur Metro Rail Project has been introduced as a viable solution aimed at enhancing urban mobility and addressing the transportation demands of the city.
Transforming Urban Transit: The Nagpur Metro Rail Project
Overview
- Nagpur Metro Rail Project is an urban Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) being built for the city of Nagpur, Maharashtra, by the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MahaMetro).
- The Nagpur Metro Rail Project comprises 2 Phases. Currently, the entire Phase 1 of Nagpur Metro spanning 38.215 km is operational. While Phase 2 is under construction.
Key Specifications of Nagpur Metro
| Speed and Track | Top Speed: 90 kmph Average Speed: 33 kmph Track Gauge: Standard Gauge – 1435 mm |
| Electrification | 25 kV, 50 Hz AC OHE |
| Signalling | Communication-based Train Control (CBTC) |
| Rolling Stock | 69 coaches (23 train-sets x 3) supplied by CRRC |
Nagpur Metro Phase 1 Contractors
| Contract | Contractor |
| General Consultant (GC) | SYSTRA – Egis Rail – AECOM – RITES JV |
| Ballastless track in at-grade section of Line-1 and ballasted/embedded track in MIHAN & Hingna Depots | Rahee Infrastructure |
| Construction of Khapri & Hingna Depots | Pratibha CSL – Sudhir Constructions JV |
| Construction of Khapri Depot – New Airport (At-Grade – 4.5 km) | NCC Ltd. |
| Construction of New Airport – Congress Nagar on Reach-1 (Viaduct – 7.61 km) | NCC Ltd. |
| Construction of Khapri – Congress Nagar on Reach-1 (10 elevated stations) | IL&FS Engineering Ltd. |
| Construction of Lokmanya Nagar – Jhansi Rani Square on Reach-3 (10 elevated stations) | ITD Cementation Ltd. |
| Construction of Lokmanya Nagar – Jhansi Rani Square on Reach-3 (Viaduct – 10.387 km) | Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. |
| Construction of Sitabuldi – Prajapati Nagar on Reach-4 (Viaduct – 8.15 km) | ITD Cementation Ltd. |
| Construction of Sitabuldi – Prajapati Nagar on Reach-4 (8 elevated stations) | ITD Cementation Ltd. |
| Construction of Sitabuldi – Automotive Square on Reach-2 with double-decker railway-span near Gaddigodam (Viaduct – 7.144 km) | Afcons Infrastructure |
Nagpur Metro Phase 2 Contractors
| General Consultant (GC) of Nagpur Metro Phase 2 | AECOM – SYSTRA – CEG JV |
| Package DDC-01 (Reach 2A & 2B): Detailed Design Consultant (DDC) for 12 elevated stations between Pili Nadi – Kanhan River | LKT Engineering Consultants |
| Package DDC-02 (Reach 3A & 4A): DDC for 8 elevated stations between Hingna Mountview – Hingna of Reach 3A and 3 elevated stations between Pardi and Transport Nagar of Reach 4A | Enia Design – Mahendra Raj Consultants JV |
| Package DDC-03 (Reach 1A & 1B): DDC for 8 elevated stations between Ashokvan – MIDC ESR | Enia Design |
| Civil Package C-01 (Reach 2A): Design and Construction Of Elevated Metro Viaduct Of Length 6.92 Km | Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) |
| Civil Package C-02 (Reach 1A): Design and construction of elevated metro viaduct of length around 17 km within Nagpur Metro Orange Line’s 18.7 km Reach 1A connecting Khapri – Butibori MIDC ESR. | GR Infraprojects Ltd. (GRIL) |
| Civil Package C-05 (Reach 1A & 2A): Construction of six elevated metro stations, viz. Pili Nadi to Lekha Nagar in Reach-2A, and one elevated and one at-grade station, viz. Ecopark and Metro City in Reach-1a, respectively. | Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) |
| Civil Package C-06 (Reach 3A & 4A): Construction of 7 elevated metro stations in Reach 3A and 3 elevated metro stations in Reach 4a (Pardi, Kapsi Khurd & Transport Nagar) | Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) |
| Civil Package C-08 (Reach 2B): Construction of 6 elevated metro stations (Cantonment, Kamptee Police Station, Kamptee Municipal Council, Dragon Palace, Golf Club and Kanhan River Metro Station) | Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) |
| Civil Package C-09 (Reach 1A): Construction of Eight Elevated Metro Stations viz Ashokvan, Dongargaon, Mohgaon, Meghdoot, CIDCO Butibori Police Station, MHADA Colony, MIDC KEC, and MIDC ESR | YFC – BBG JV |
Phase 1 of Nagpur Metro
Phase 1 of the Nagpur Metro is completely operational and spans 38.215 km, consisting of 2 corridors. The construction work on Nagpur Metro Phase 1 commenced in 2015. The entire Phase 1 project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on December 11, 2022. Phase I of the Nagpur Metro was developed at a cost of more than Rs 8650 crore.
| Line | Corridor | Route | Length |
| Line 1 ( Orange Line) | North–South Corridor | Automotive Square – Khapri | 19.658 Km |
| Line 2 ( Aqua Line) | East–West Corridor | Lokmanya Nagar – Prajapati Nagar | 18.557 Km |
Inauguration Dates of the Phase 1 Sections
| Date | Line | Section | Length |
| 8 Mar 2019 | Orange Line | Khapri – Sitabuldi | 13 km |
| 28 Jan2020 | Aqua Line | Lokmanya Nagar – Sitabuldi | 9.9 km |
| 21 Aug2021 | Orange Line | Sitabuldi – Kasturchand Park | 1.49 km |
| 11 Dec 2022 | Orange Line | Kasturchand Park – Automotive Square | 5.82 km |
| 11 Dec 2022 | Aqua Line | Sitabuldi – Prajapati Nagar | 7.98 km |
Route Details of Nagpur Metro Phase 1
Line 1 – Orange Line: Automotive Square – Khapri
- Length: 19.658 km
- Type: Elevated
- Depot: MIHAN Depot
- Number of Stations: 22
- Station Names: Automotive Square, Nari Road, Indora Square, Kadvi Square, GaddiGodam Square, Kasturchand Park, Zero Mile, Sitabuldi (interchange), Congress Nagar, Rahate Colonny, Ajni Square, Chhatrapati Square, Jaiprakash Nagar, Ujjwal Nagar, Airport, Airport South, New Airport and Khapri.
Line 2 – Aqua Line: Lokmanya Nagar – Prajapati Nagar
- Length: 19.407 km
- Type: Elevated
- Depot: Hingna Depot
- Number of Stations: 20
- Station Names: Prajapati Nagar, Vaishno Devi Square, Ambedkar Square, Telephone Exchange, ChittarOli Square, Agrasen Square, Dosar Vaisya Square, Nagpur Railway Station, Cotton Market, Sitabuldi (interchange), Jhansi Rani Square, Institute of Engineers, Shankar Nagar Square, LAD Square, Dharampeth College, Subhash Nagar, Rachana Ring Road Junction, Vasudev Nagar, Bansi Nagar and Lokmanya Nagar
Phase 2 of Nagpur Metro
The under-construction Phase 2 of Nagpur Metro spans 43.8 km. The Nagpur Metro Phase 2 aims to extend the two existing lines built in Phase 1 to Kanhan in the north, Butibori MIDC in the south, Transport Nagar (Kapsi) in the east and Hingna in the west.
Nagpur Metro Phase-II consists of the following 4 extensions of 2 corridors of Phase I.
| Line | Route | Length |
| Orange Line | Khapri – MIDC ESR | 18.5 Km |
| Orange Line | Automotive Square – Kanhan River | 13 km |
| Aqua Line | Prajapati Nagar – Transport Nagar | 5.6 km |
| Aqua Line | Lokmanya Nagar – Hingna | 6.7 km |
Key Dates & Approvals
- The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Nagpur Metro Phase 2 was prepared by the Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES).
- In January 2019, the Maharashtra state government’s cabinet approved the DPR of the Project at an estimated cost of Rs. 5,976 crore.
- In April 2023, the Maharashtra government’s cabinet approved the Nagpur Metro Phase 2 again with a revised estimated cost of 6708 crore.
- The Phase 2 project foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11, 2022.
Funding Mechanism of Phase 2
The total project cost of Nagpur Metro Phase 2 is Rs 6,708 Cr. The project will be financed through a 50:50 by the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra, and debt will be secured from international funding agencies. The cost per km is estimated to be ₹ 160 Cr.
| Cost Sharing | Amount |
| Equity (Central & State) | Rs. 3123 Cr. |
| European Investment Bank (EIB) | Rs. 1527 Cr. |
| Asian Development Bank (ADB) | Rs. 2058 Cr |
| Total | Rs 6,708 Cr |
Route Details of Nagpur Metro Phase 2
Line-1 (Orange Line) Reach 1A: Khapri to Butibori MIDC ESR
- Length: 18.7 km
- Number of Stations: 10
- Station Names: Eco Park, Metro City, Ashokvan, Dongargaon, Mohgaon, Meghdoot CIDCO, Butibori Police Station, Mhada Colony, MIDC KEC and MIDC-ESR
Line-1 (Orange Line) – Reach 2A & Reach 2B: Automotive Square to Kanhan
- Length: 13 km
- Number of Stations: 12
- Station Names: Pili Nadi, Khasara Fata, All India Radio, Kheri Fata, Lok Vihar, Lekha Nagar, Cantonment, Kamptee Police Station, Kamptee Municipal Council, Dragon Palace, Golf Club and Kanhan
Line-2 (Aqua Line) – Reach 3A: Lokmanya Nagar to Hingna
- Length: 6.6 km
- Number of Stations: 7
- Catchment Area: Mount View, Rajiv Nagar, Wanadongri, APMC, Raipur, Hingna Bus Station and Hinga
Line-2 (Aqua Line) – Reach 4A: Prajapati Square to Transport Nagar
- Length: 5.5 km
- Number of Stations: 3
- Stations: Pardi, Kapsi Khurd, Transport Nagar
Land Acquisition Status for Nagpur Metro Phase 2
- The total areas required for the Phase II project are 90435 sq m. (9.043 hectares).
- Out of the above :
- – State Government Land: 24580 sq m.
– Central Government Land: 12046 sq m.
– Private Land: 53809 sq.m.
– Total: 90435 sq Mm. Land acquisition for more than 50% land has been processed. - No major constraint is expected due to land issues in the execution of the project.
- Consent for the execution of work at the site has been obtained in 80% of the cases, including Defence Land.
Impacts of the Nagpur Metro Rail Project
1. Enhanced Connectivity: The Nagpur Metro Project has improved urban connectivity by establishing a modern, efficient, and accessible public transportation system. The operational Orange and Aqua Lines interlink various commercial, residential, and educational centres. Additionally, the ongoing Phase 2 expansion will further extend the city’s connectivity.
2. Reduction in Traffic Congestion: The introduction of the Nagpur Metro has notably mitigated urban traffic congestion by promoting a shift from private vehicles to public transit. The metro system has reduced the residents’ dependence on personal vehicles, contributing to a reduction in overall traffic congestion within the city.
3. Integration with Other Transport Modes: The Nagpur Metro is strategically designed to integrate effectively with other public transportation options, including city buses and feeder services such as e-rickshaws and shuttle buses. This multimodal framework enhances the overall accessibility for the commuters, facilitating a smooth and more convenient journey.
4. Increased Economic Growth: The Nagpur Metro has enhanced the economic growth of the city by creating numerous jobs during its construction and operational phases. Furthermore, the establishment of metro stations has also attracted business setups, boosting the local economies of the city.
Conclusion
The Nagpur Metro Rail Project represents a major initiative in the urban development of the city, addressing the pressing need for an efficient and reliable transportation system amid rapid urbanisation and escalating traffic congestion. With Phase 1 fully operational and enhancing connectivity across essential areas, and with Phase 2 currently under construction to further expand the network, the metro is transforming Nagpur’s transportation network. In addition to mitigating traffic challenges, the project is stimulating economic growth and fostering a more integrated and sustainable urban environment. As Nagpur continues to establish itself as a crucial hub in central India, the Nagpur Metro Rail Project plays a vital role in shaping its future by providing accessible, convenient, and environmentally responsible public transportation options for its residents.
