Nearly seven years after it was announced as India’s first Broad Gauge Metro project, the proposed regional commuter rail network connecting Nagpur with neighbouring satellite towns is still unimplemented despite securing approvals from the Maharashtra Government. No tenders have been floated, no construction has commenced and no official order cancelling the project has been issued, leaving the Broad Gauge Metro proposal pending despite multiple approvals. The project was launched on July 16, 2018, when Indian Railways, the Government of Maharashtra and MahaMetro signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to introduce Metro-style commuter services on the existing Indian Railways broad gauge network. The proposal was unveiled in the presence of then Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. It was projected as the country’s first Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) to operate on the existing broad gauge railway network connecting Nagpur with adjoining towns.

 

The original proposal covered Wardha, Ramtek, Bhandara Road, Saoner and Katol. After preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) by Urban Mass Transit Company (UMTC), the Katol corridor was extended up to Narkhed. The proposed network measured about 269 km. Government records placed the project cost at Rs 333.60 crore, of which Rs 305.20 crore was proposed to be funded through savings from MahaMetro’s Phase-I project financed by German agency KfW, while the Maharashtra Government sanctioned rS 21.30 crore as interest-free assistance. The project proposed operating Metro-style services using existing railway tracks, stations and signalling infrastructure without constructing a separate Metro corridor. Indian Railways was to retain ownership of the infrastructure, while MahaMetro was to operate the services under a concession and revenue-sharing arrangement. The proposed system was expected to improve regional connectivity and serve as a feeder to the Nagpur Metro network. The Railway Board approved the DPR in November 2019 and directed Central Railway and South East Central Railway to prepare concession agreements for implementation.

 

In October 2020, the Maharashtra Cabinet approved the proposal. Subsequently, the Urban Development Department issued a Government Resolution granting post facto approval to the 2018 MoU and authorising submission of the DPR to the Central Government for further action. Despite these approvals, the project has not moved beyond the planning stage. According to a Metro official, the proposal required Indian Railways to retain ownership of its tracks and stations while MahaMetro would only operate the commuter services. The official said operational and institutional issues concerning the use of Railway infrastructure remained unresolved after the MoU, and no significant progress took place thereafter. The official also said proposals involving private operators and later discussions around Vande Bharat-type services did not materialise. There is currently no movement on the proposal.