Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Jun 9: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has approved 65 of 131 proposed railway infrastructure projects across the state as part of an ambitious plan to make Maharashtra free of railway level crossings.

The decision was taken during a meeting between the state government and Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation on Monday. Fadnavis directed officials to prioritise projects on roads carrying traffic volumes between 25,000 and 100,000 Train Vehicle Units (TVU) and requiring minimal land acquisition.

The approved works include railway overbridges (ROBs), underpasses (RUBs) and pedestrian foot overbridges (FOBs) on roads under the public works and urban development departments. Detailed discussions on the proposed projects were held during the meeting.

Stressing the need for modern transport infrastructure, Fadnavis said Maharashtra should have no railway level crossings and called for the creation of alternative infrastructure to ensure seamless movement across railway lines. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening connectivity in rapidly urbanising areas around railway corridors, particularly in metropolitan regions.

MahaRail Managing Director Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal said eliminating railway crossings and developing modern infrastructure would improve road safety, ease traffic congestion and enhance mobility.

According to MahaRail, a comprehensive survey conducted over the past six months identified 80 locations across Maharashtra where there are no railway level crossings but where construction of ROBs, RUBs and FOBs is required to improve road connectivity and decongest existing traffic corridors.

The corporation said the proposed projects would help bridge gaps in the road network, facilitate smoother movement across railway lines, reduce fuel consumption and improve mobility for both commuters and freight traffic.

Fadnavis also expressed concern over the possibility of future traffic congestion at intersections connected to flyovers in Nagpur and directed officials to implement preventive measures. He further instructed that a new railway overbridge be constructed on the Amravati–Badnera Road to replace the existing ageing structure.

The chief minister asked MahaRail to implement the projects in phases and arrange funding through Housing and Urban Development Corporation. He also directed HUDCO to explore financing mechanisms that could reduce borrowing costs and lower interest rates for the state government.

In addition, Fadnavis instructed officials to expedite the process of bringing MahaRail under the public works department.

During the meeting, Jaiswal presented details of the 80 projects that have secured approval. Of these, 17 are located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, 15 in Pune, 13 in Nagpur, five each in Nashik and Amravati, four in Sangli, three each in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dhule, Kolhapur, Latur and Parbhani, two each in Solapur and Jalgaon, and one each in Ahilyanagar and Nanded.