Chhattisgarh Approves Metro Corridor Connecting Raipur, Atal Nagar and Durg-Bhilai As Part Of New State Capital Region

The Chhattisgarh government has approved the Raipur-Durg metro rail project, a key step towards establishing a State Capital Region (SCR), modelled after Delhi’s National Capital Region (NCR), The Times of India reported.

The newly approved SCR aims to integrate Raipur, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, and the Durg-Bhilai belt into a unified urban cluster.

Designed to improve connectivity, ease traffic congestion, and streamline infrastructure, the metro corridor is expected to cater to over 50 lakh people projected to reside in the region by 2031.

To initiate the project, the state allocated Rs 5 crore in the 2024–25 budget for a comprehensive feasibility survey.

The State Cabinet’s recent nod sets the stage for the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) to drive the planning and execution of this ambitious initiative.

Headed by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the CRDA includes cabinet ministers, senior bureaucrats, MLAs, and representatives from local bodies. A Chief Executive Officer serves as its member-secretary.

The authority is empowered to oversee land use, infrastructure development, investments, and environmental management across the SCR.

The CRDA also holds the authority to impose a special infrastructure cess to finance capital-intensive projects such as the metro. It will present annual budgets and progress reports to the state government.

An executive committee composed of planners, engineers, financial officers, and district collectors from the SCR will coordinate on-the-ground implementation.

To support funding needs, a Capital Region Development Fund and a Revolving Fund have been established.

The government believes that through improved mobility and integrated urban governance, the SCR will emerge as a new economic engine for Chhattisgarh, with the Raipur-Durg metro as its central spine.

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