Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 24: At a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on September 23, the Maharashtra government approved its revised share of funding for the long-pending Nagpur–Nagbhid railway gauge conversion project.

The state will contribute Rs 491.5 crore to Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MahaRail) to help complete the works. The 116.15 km narrow-gauge stretch between Nagpur and Nagbhid is being upgraded to broad gauge to enhance passenger and freight movement across eastern Maharashtra.

Once completed, the line will link Nagbhid with Vadsa–Desaiganj, Gondia, and further to Gadchiroli, providing a vital transport lifeline for residents of Nagpur, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli districts. According to the press release, the conversion will strengthen the regional railway network and boost local industry and agriculture by improving market access.

Under an earlier plan, the project was estimated at Rs 1,400 crore with a 60:40 debt-to-equity ratio, and the state’s share stood at 20 per cent. With revised costs now at Rs 2,383 crore, Maharashtra’s contribution has risen to 32.37 per cent. Of the total state commitment of Rs 771.5 crore, Rs 280 crore has already been disbursed, with the cabinet clearing the remaining Rs 491.5 crore.

The government noted that under its policy of bearing 40–50 per cent of selected rural railway project costs, this initiative falls within that framework. Nearly 80–85 per cent of construction has been completed, and the fresh infusion will enable MahaRail to take the project to the finish line.