MAHARASHTRA Metro Rail Corporation had announced the release of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for 300 feeder buses that was to be submitted to the State Government. Nine months later, the status of that Rs 220 crore proposal remains unclear. The DPR was meant for improving the first and last mile connectivity for bettering the ridership of Nagpur Metro which is nowhere near the figures estimated in the project report. According to sources, MahaMetro official had stated that the DPR would be submitted for State Government assessment of financial viability, with potential forwarding to the Union Government depending on the State’s decision.

 

The proposal represented a scaled-down version of an initially discussed requirement for 500 feeder buses across Nagpur. The finalised plan sought approval for 300 buses at an estimated cost of Rs 220 crore, positioning feeder services as foundational infrastructure for Phase 2 of the Nagpur Metro, which was described as progressing‘in full pace’ at the time of the announcement. The feeder bus deficit operates against a backdrop of persistent ridership under performance across Nagpur’s Metro network.

 

The Metro continues to incur operational losses of millions monthly. According to Observer Research Foundation’s June 2025 study, Metro stations equipped with feeder services demonstrate ridership increases of 8-10 per cent. The 300-bus proposal, while significant, represents only a fraction of the broader public transport deficit identified in MahaMetro’s own planning documents. The Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) presented in July 2025 identified Nagpur’s requirement for 2,068 buses to adequately serve the city’s 43.7 lakh population. With Nagpur Municipal Corporation currently operating 436 buses, the shortfall stands at 1,632 vehicles -- a gap the proposed 300 feeder buses would only partially address. When contacted, a senior Maha Metro official stated that the DPR tender finalisation is scheduled within the time frame of one week. Post this, financial assessments are to be conducted. The official indicated that a phase-wise process would follow, with final delivery of the DPR by August. Regarding the nine-months that this process has taken till now, the official explained that numerous suggestions from different institutions is needed to be incorporated into the proposal, which is taking time.