Nagpur: Nagpur Metro’s ambitious expansion plan took a giant leap on Tuesday with Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES Ltd) being awarded a ₹3.12cr contract to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) and alternative analysis report (AAR) for the proposed 55km Metro Phase 3 expansion. The consultant is expected to begin on-ground work in the next 15 days, senior MahaMetro officials confirmed to TOI.In a first for Nagpur Metro, the DPR will also examine the feasibility of introducing driverless Metro operations under Phase 3 and simultaneously validate the proposed underground sections, which could become Nagpur’s first underground metro corridor.Among the two firms that participated in the tender process, RITES secured the contract with a completion timeline of 270 days, or nine months. Officials said the DPR will serve as the blueprint for Nagpur Metro’s biggest expansion till date, with the proposed 55km Phase 3 set to allow the network to straddle 129km of the city and its periphery from an earlier 84km under Phases 1 and 2.The DPR will cover all four proposed Phase 3 corridors — Mankapur Chowk–Rachana Junction (Inner Ring Road), which will be of 25km, Sitabuldi–Koradi of 11.5km, MIDC ESR–CEAT Ltd (Butibori Extension) at 3km and Khapri–New Nagpur at 15 km. Collectively, these corridors are expected to transform connectivity by linking industrial zones, emerging residential pockets and the proposed New Nagpur township, while introducing orbital connectivity through Inner Ring Road.A senior official confirmed the consultant will undertake traffic and ridership surveys, peak hour peak direction traffic analysis, geotechnical investigations, topographical surveys, utility mapping, alignment planning, station location studies and financial modelling. The report will also finalise the project cost, recommend corridor-wise implementation and outline the execution strategy.The Sitabuldi-Koradi stretch is among the key sections under consideration, as multiple flyovers, dense development and limited right of way may make elevated construction technically unviable. The final alignment, technology and construction methodology will be recommended after detailed engineering and feasibility studies.Officials said MahaMetro will remain actively involved throughout the exercise despite RITES being the consultant. “We are the owner of the project, so we will be involved at every stage of the DPR preparation,” a senior official said.The DPR will also determine the revised project cost for each corridor and recommend a phased implementation strategy. However, officials clarified the actual execution schedule will depend on statutory approvals and funding sanctions from the state govt and the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Once completed, the DPR will serve as the blueprint for the city’s next phase of mass transit development and pave the way for construction after the govt approvals are secured.
