"Nagpur Metro Phase III Expansion: Route to encompass New Nagpur and beyond Butibori MIDC."

Nagpur Metro’s Phase 3 expansion is set to go beyond its originally proposed limits, with plans now being drawn up to extend the network up to New Nagpur and add an additional 5-km stretch beyond the Butibori MIDC, significantly expanding the city’s future mass transit footprint.

Senior officials of MahaMetro said the expanded blueprint has already been incorporated into the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) and forwarded to the State government for consideration.

Phase 3 was initially envisaged primarily as a Sitabuldi–Koradi corridor to improve connectivity between the city core and the fast-growing northern belt. However, planning authorities are now working on adding two more corridors under Phase 3.

Butibori MIDC, which currently serves as the terminal point of Metro Phase 2, is proposed to be extended by another 5 km deep into the industrial belt. The extension is aimed at supporting rising industrial activity, workforce mobility and future residential development in the area, a senior official said.

Another major addition is a proposed Metro link to New Nagpur, a greenfield urban project being developed near the Samruddhi Mahamarg circle with the involvement of the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT). According to officials, the Metro alignment will branch out near the Metro City stations of Phase 2 and extend towards New Nagpur, which is expected to emerge as a key residential, commercial and institutional hub in the coming years.

Sources said the NIT has formally communicated its New Nagpur development plans to MahaMetro, prompting the agency to align its long-term network expansion with the proposed master plan. While the expanded Phase 3 proposal is ready at the conceptual level, further procedural steps have been delayed due to the Model Code of Conduct in force for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections.

Officials said tenders for preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the newly proposed corridors will be floated immediately after the Model Code of Conduct is lifted, which is expected in about a month.