After launching services on Reach 1 and 3 of Nagpur Metro, MahaMetro is now making efforts to push ridership up by proposing two traffic management tweaks in the city. First is to make two roads in Sitabuldi one way that will enable city buses to stop under Sitabuldi Interchange. Second is to start shuttle services between city airport and Airport Metro station.
A MahaMetro officer said proposal had been submitted to Chinmay Pandit, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), to make roads from Variety Square to Munje Square and from Munje Square to Rani Jhansi Square one-way. Pandit is expected to approve the proposal soon. As per proposal, traffic will only flow from Variety Square to Munje Square and from Munje Square to Rani Jhansi Square.
“At present, about 5,700 vehicles move on these two roads every day. This makes them very crowded and there is no space for city buses to stop near Sitabuldi Interchange. We also want people to walk from Mor Bhavan bus terminus to Sitabuldi station. For this, there should be less traffic on these roads. If the roads are made one-way, the traffic would reduce to 2,700 vehicles per day. Thirty-nine city buses will stop below the station after that,” said the officer.
MahaMetro also wants Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to provide shuttle service from airport’s departure and arrival area to Airport Metro station. It has also spoken to two private agencies, Bengaluru-based Tvarit and Pune-based Kinetic for providing this service. The Metro officer said NMC has been asked to start mini-buses from airport to the Metro station and elsewhere.
“The fare will be Rs 10, which is minimal,” he added. “Tvarit had submitted a proposal for providing e-vehicles at airport. They want to charge Rs 25 per passenger and Rs 50 per group. They are conducting a study there and elsewhere in the city too. Kinetic wants to charge Rs 10 per passenger. They are also conducting a survey all over the city.
However, for these plans to be successful, Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) has to provide free parking to these vehicles. We have already submitted a proposal to MADC and a reminder too,” he said.