Maharashtra has approved a proposal to construct 145 flyovers over the next three years as part of its plan to eliminate railway level crossings across the state, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Sunday., according to PTI.
The initiative is aimed at improving safety, easing traffic movement and replacing level crossings with grade-separated infrastructure.
Fadnavis made the announcement after inaugurating nine railway infrastructure projects along with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. The projects were constructed by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MahaRail).
Nine rail connectivity projects inaugurated across five districts
The newly inaugurated works comprise four rail overbridges (ROBs), four underpasses and one rail underbridge (RUB). According to the Chief Minister, the projects include ROB’s in Nagpur, Sangli, Satara, Nashik and Amravati, where they are expected to improve connectivity and reduce delays caused by railway level crossings.
Fadnavis also congratulated MahaRail and its Managing Director Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal for completing the nine projects in record time while maintaining high construction standards, accroding to PTI.
“These works will benefit a large number of citizens. Every year, 21,000 persons die in the country at railway level crossings. Therefore, the Maharashtra government has decided the state should be free of railway level crossings. Subsequently, with the help of the Railway Ministry and the ministry (road transport and highways) under Gadkari, MahaRail will build flyovers at remaining level crossings,” he said, according to PTI.
State to fund remaining flyovers through borrowings
The Chief Minister said the state government plans to finance the remaining projects through borrowings to accelerate the elimination of railway level crossings across Maharashtra.
“The Mahayuti government will take loans and will complete all these flyovers so that there is no level crossing in Maharashtra,” he told PTI.
Fadnavis said MahaRail has submitted a proposal for 145 flyovers, which has now been approved, and the corporation has assured the government that the projects will be completed within the next three years.
Once completed, the programme is expected to significantly reduce conflicts between road and rail traffic, improve commuter safety and strengthen transport connectivity across different parts of Maharashtra.