Maharashtra approves ₹2,100-cr for Nashik metro project

The state cabinet recently gave its approval to the Nashik Metro‘s detailed project report (DPR) prepared by the MahaMetro and has been sent to Centre for the mandatory approvals. The project, which will be known as Nashik Metro Neo, involved an investment worth ₹2,100 crore equally shared by both Central and state governments. While the Centre‘s share is ₹387 crore, the state government including Cidco and NMC will pitch in ₹552.19 crore and both will together pitch in ₹939.3 crore and that the NMC‘s contribution will come in the form of land for three depots. The project is a milestone and proud moment for the Nashik city and that the agency will soon submit the proposal to the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MOHUA) and will start work on the project once it gets MOHUA‘s approval, the MD of MahaMetro, Brijesh Dixit said, elaborating that the swanky rubber-tyres coaches would run on two elevated corridors covering 32 km — with a total of 25 stations. Two corridors have been planned initially whereby the corridor one will stretch from Gangapur to Mumbai Naka covering a length of 10 km. This stretch will have 10 stations. Corridor two, meanwhile, will be from Gangapur to Nashik Road, covering 22 km and 15 stations. CBS will be an interchange station where both the corridors meet and that there will be two feeder corridors whereby one will cover Satpur colony-Garware-Mumbai Naka stretch, while feeder corridor two will run cover Nashik Road-Nandur Naka-Shivaji Nagar. The electric bus coaches will be 25m and 18m in length and they will have carrying capacity of 200 and 300 passengers, respectively. The buses will have rubber tyres and draw power from the overhead electric wire having 600-750 V DC supply. The buses will be air-conditioned with automatic door closing system, level boarding, comfortable seats, passenger announcement and passenger information systems with electronic display. The stations will have staircases, lifts and escalators with passenger information displays.