The approved projects include the construction of railway overbridges, underpasses, and pedestrian bridges to improve connectivity and eliminate level crossings in the state, especially in rapidly urbanising areas. These 65 projects represent the first phase of a larger plan comprising 131 proposed works under MahaRail, focusing on roads overseen by the Public Works and Urban Development departments.
Chief Minister Fadnavis emphasized prioritizing projects on roads with Train Vehicle Units (TVU) between 25,000 and 100,000, particularly where land acquisition challenges are minimal. TVU is a metric used by Railways to measure traffic density at level crossings, calculated by multiplying the number of passing trains by road vehicle units over a 24-hour period.
Addressing urban transport needs, Fadnavis called for infrastructure planning around railway corridors in metropolitan areas. The government has proposed 80 railway infrastructure projects across Maharashtra’s urban centers, including 17 in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, 15 in Pune, 13 in Nagpur, and five each in Nashik and Amravati. Remaining projects are planned for other cities across the state.
The Chief Minister directed the formation of committees with municipal commissioners and district collectors to verify projects before MahaRail initiates work. He also raised concerns about potential traffic congestion at junctions on newly constructed flyovers in Nagpur and stressed the need for advance planning.
Further, Fadnavis instructed the construction of a new railway overbridge on the Amravati-Badnera route to replace the old bridge. Funding for these projects is to be arranged through the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), with efforts to reduce borrowing costs. He also urged the speedy integration of MahaRail under the Public Works Department and timely release of payments for completed work by the state government.
Public Works Minister Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale participated via video conferencing, while Minister of State Indranil Naik and MLA Prasad Lad were present at the meeting.
