NAGPUR: Indian Railways and MahaMetro (Metro Railway Project Company of Maharashtra) signed a MoU for linking railway line to Metro coaches on broad gauge network & creating a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in Nagpur city. The MoU signing ceremony held in Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Suresh Bhat Auditorium was witnessed by Union Minister of Railways, Finance, Corporate Affairs, and Coal, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Water Resources, Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis. Chairman Railway Board Ashwani Lohani and Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development Durga Shankar Mishra were also present on this occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Piyush Goyal informed that, the Railway Ministry is also trying to execute a plan for setting up railway line across the national highways. One such proposal is to connect Nagpur –Mumbai Super Express Way (Samriddhi Mahamarg) to Railway line connecting Nagpur-Mumbai. The construction of such a Hi-speed Railway Corridor will make it feasible to cover the distance between Nagpur & Mumbai in just 5 hours. Indian Railways has also allocated a record sum of 67 thousand crore rupees for development of Suburban railway network in Mumbai which is used by one-third of total Railway passengers in India.
The foundation stone laying ceremony of Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s ‘waste to energy project’ was also performed on this occasion. Foundation stone laying ceremony of a project of Mahagenco to carry the coal from the cluster of Mines of Western Coalfield Limited through pipe conveyor system was also done.
Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Water Resources, Nitin Gadkari while speaking on rising pollution in metro cities, has advocated for ‘public transport on electricity’ on this occasion. He urged people to use public transport instead of private transport. He informed that the speed of air-conditioned metro coaches running on broad gauge line of Railway will be 100 km/h which is much more than ordinary passenger trains. He informed that this MoU signing will pave the way for towns like Bhandara, Wardha distant from Nagpur to come closer and developed into satellite cities.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis said that these three projects will be hailed as innovative steps and will be followed by the nation. He informed that water acquired from Mines and power plants is being used to irrigate over 10 thousands hectare land in Maharashtra. A MoU between VIDC (Vidarbha Irrigation Industrial Corporation) & WCL has been signed for mine water distribution, he informed on this occasion.
On the occasion, a booklet titled “New Railways New Maharashtra” on Railway’s development in Maharashtra was also unveiled in this function.
The programme was attended by local public representatives, officials of Maha Metro, NMC, Mahagenco, Indian Railways, officials of district administration and the general public in large numbers.