NAGPUR: With the rapid progression of Metro Phase 2 across Nagpur and its outskirts, residents can eagerly anticipate the upcoming ‘Metro Phase 3’. Senior MahaMetro officials confirmed, following a high-level stakeholder meeting attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, that a new metro corridor between Sitabuldi and Koradi has been finalized as part of the recently disclosed Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP).
The CMP, created by MahaMetro in partnership with RITES, outlines the development of mass rapid transit corridors in the Nagpur Metropolitan Region based on traffic density, projected ridership, and future mobility needs.
There is also a proposal for a Metro Phase IV, although the route details are yet to be disclosed. Among the primary proposals in CMP Phase 1 are two High Capacity MRTS Corridors: the 11.5 km Sitabuldi–Koradi corridor and the 25 km Mankapur Chowk–Rachana Junction stretch along Inner Ring Road, with an estimated cost of Rs 8,625 crore.
Of the two, the Sitabuldi–Koradi line was prioritized for development. “We have finalized the Sitabuldi–Koradi corridor following Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic (PHPDT) assessments. The ridership projections and traffic volumes indicate that metro operations are feasible,” stated a senior MahaMetro official.
The proposed corridor is expected to serve approximately 1.47 lakh commuters daily by 2054. The Sitabuldi-Koradi metro line will diverge from the Kasturchand Park station and will include underground sections. While specifics like the number of stations and exact alignment are still under discussion, officials noted that once the ongoing 15-day feedback period concludes, work on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) will commence, followed by tender announcements based on the DPR’s findings.
Conversely, the 25 km Mankapur Chowk–Rachana Junction corridor is identified as a potential high-capacity transit corridor. Currently, instead of extending metro services, the plan is to deploy articulated buses along this route. “We will monitor bus operations performance here. Depending on the data collected and observed demand, necessary adjustments to the mobility plan will be made in future phases,” the official added.
The CMP has been developed with a future horizon of 2030, extending predictions to 2054. Its goal is to establish a sustainable and integrated transport network to accommodate the region’s rapid urban growth. The inclusion of the Sitabuldi–Koradi line addresses the increasing residential and institutional developments in Koradi along with elevated commuting demand.
Additionally, another MahaMetro official confirmed that during the meeting, CM Fadnavis urged officials to begin formulating a financial model for the CMP. “Fadnavis emphasized that while the vision is clear, the financing and revenue generation model must also be incorporated into the CMP. He has instructed us to draft a model detailing funding sources, investment recovery strategies, and methods to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the proposed infrastructure,” the official remarked.
With preparations for Metro Phase 3 progressing and the CMP nearing final approval, Nagpur is poised to be a model city for multi-modal urban mobility.
