Nagpur:

’s (NMC) Rs 5,700 crore

may become first of its kind project in the country. The entire 5.5 km project comprising residential, commercial and recreation structures will now also include

corridor as well.

Planned eight years ago, London Street project then did not incorporate metro rail tracks. Municipal commissioner

has come up with the idea of running metro rail on the land that was actually a railway siding connecting Ordnance Factory Ambajhari with main line near Ajni station.

Union minister for road transport and highways and city MP

has okayed the concept and asked Hardikar to revise London Street project’s detailed project report (DPR). The project is the brainchild of Gadkari. “I was thinking about adding metro rail to London Street project when Hardikar came to me with the idea. NMC should go for it,” said Gadkari during the bhoomipuja programme of NMC’s cement concrete road project on Sunday.

Hardikar said it would be a futuristic mass transit corridor project. “NMC started tendering process inviting private agencies for executing the project. Last date to submit tenders was March 14. We will now revise the DPR in a month. Tendering will go on as scheduled,” he said.

Hardikar said plan will be discussed with Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (NMRCL). “The corridor on London Street can be a link between proposed two corridors of metro rail project. It can begin from Wardha road (North-South Corridor) and end at Hingna (East-West corridor),” he said.

Hardikar added addition of metro rail to London Street will benefit in two manners. “Project will become more successful with metro rail transit service. Metro rail will get commuters due to the project,” he said. Hardikar said project was already getting response from international private companies. “Response was not good in initial stage so we extended the date of tenders. Now we are hopeful of getting giant companies,” he said.

Metro rail on London Street may run at ground level. On the lines of Vashi railway station in Navi Mumbai, plan will be to construct structures over the tracks and on the sides if space permits. The project is proposed over 31.15 hectares land that stretches over 5.50km along the road connecting Wardha road with Khamla, Bhamti and Jaitala T-point. As per DPR, the project is divided into ten sectors and to be developed in three phases over a span of 7.5-8 years on PPP model. Citizens will get residential, commercial, hospitality, retail and cultural facilities.

The PPP operator will have to

Rs 3,654 crore and can generate revenue of around 5,700 crore. NMC is likely to get Rs900 crore in the form of premium and also land. The operator will get possession of the land. NMC will have to create a third party interest in the private agency's name for 30 years, which is extendable to 60 years.