Yes Or No To Neo Metro? Maharashtra Seeks Centre's Reply On Nashik's Transit Plan, Project Announced In 2021 Budget

Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik has directed Maha Metro to seek clarification from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) regarding the long-delayed Neo Metro project for Nashik, Times of India reported.

The discussions will determine whether to proceed with the existing plan or explore alternative options.

The directive was issued during a videoconference meeting chaired by Saunik, where officials from Maha Metro, Divisional Commissioner Praveen Gedam, and Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) Chief Manisha Khatri were in attendance.

The review meeting also assessed the progress of other ongoing projects led by Maha Metro.

A senior official from Maha Metro acknowledged the delay and stated, "We had a meeting with Saunik about the delayed ‘Neo Metro’ project for Nashik city. We were told to approach MoHUA and discuss how the delayed project can be given a boost or explore other options." He further confirmed, "We will soon approach MoHUA to discuss the project."

The meeting also touched upon Nashik’s proposed multi-modal transport hub, which aims to integrate the Neo Metro, the Nashik-Pune high-speed rail corridor, and city bus services under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The project is a collaborative initiative between NMC, Maha Metro, and MahaRail.

The Neo Metro was first announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget for 2021-22, with an allocated budget of Rs 2,092 crore.

However, despite Maha Metro presenting detailed project plans at the Prime Minister’s Office in February 2023, no further developments have taken place.

Nearly two years later, renewed discussions at the government level signal a possible revival of the Neo Metro initiative, raising hopes for Nashik’s urban transport development.