Maharashtra Approves 65 Railway Projects Under MahaRail; CM Fadnavis Aims for Level Crossing-Free State

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has approved 65 railway infrastructure projects in the first phase under the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MahaRail), with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directing officials to work towards making the state free of railway level crossings.

The decision was taken at a MahaRail board meeting chaired by Fadnavis at Sahyadri Guest House. The approved projects are part of a larger plan comprising 131 railway infrastructure works across the state.

The projects include the construction of railway overbridges (ROBs), pedestrian bridges, and road underpasses on roads under the Public Works and Urban Development departments. Emphasising commuter safety and improved connectivity, Fadnavis said Maharashtra should aim to eliminate all railway level crossings through modern infrastructure development.

“Not a single railway crossing should remain on railway routes across Maharashtra. Infrastructure should be developed to ensure a level crossing-free state,” the Chief Minister said. He also stressed the need to create transport infrastructure in rapidly urbanising areas around railway corridors to facilitate smooth movement of people.

Fadnavis directed MahaRail to prioritise projects involving roads with Train Vehicle Units (TVU) ranging between 25,000 and one lakh, particularly those requiring minimal land acquisition. He said such projects should be completed on priority to deliver quicker benefits to citizens.

To address growing urbanisation, the government has identified 80 railway infrastructure projects in major cities. Committees comprising Municipal Commissioners and District Collectors will be formed to verify and monitor these projects before they are executed by MahaRail.

The Chief Minister also reviewed infrastructure challenges in Nagpur and called for measures to prevent future traffic congestion near newly constructed flyovers. He further instructed officials to construct a new railway overbridge on the Amravati-Badnera route to replace the ageing structure currently in use.

Fadnavis suggested securing project funding through HUDCO and directed officials to expedite the process of bringing MahaRail under the Public Works Department. He also instructed that payments for completed works be released promptly by the state government.

Of the proposed 80 urban railway infrastructure projects, 17 are planned in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, 15 in Pune, 13 in Nagpur, five each in Nashik and Amravati, and several others across Sangli, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Kolhapur, Dhule, Latur, Parbhani, Solapur, Jalgaon, Ahilyanagar, and Nanded.