Nagpur Metro Phase-2 Construction Accelerates with 45% Pier Completion

The ambitious Phase-2 expansion of Nagpur Metro is making significant headway on the ground, with nearly half of the planned viaduct piers now completed across multiple corridors. This marks a crucial structural milestone in the city's mass rapid transit network development, bringing the project closer to its targeted completion timeline.

Construction Progress Across Corridors

Official data reveals that 684 out of 1,514 piers planned under Phase-2 have been fully constructed, translating to approximately 45% completion. Pier construction forms the essential backbone for subsequent viaduct and span erection works, making this achievement particularly significant for the overall project timeline.

On the Orange line, the Automotive Square-Kanhan corridor has demonstrated the highest progress rate, with 302 of 466 piers completed, amounting to nearly 65% completion. Meanwhile, work on the Khapri-Butibori corridor remains at a relatively earlier stage, with 142 of 612 piers constructed so far.

The Aqua line extensions show promising advancement as well:

The Prajapati Nagar-Transport Nagar corridor has completed 96 of 193 planned piers, bringing this stretch close to the halfway mark
The Lokmanya Nagar-Hingna stretch follows closely with 144 of 243 piers erected, representing 59% progress

Overcoming Material Challenges

Construction faced intermittent slowdowns over recent months due to a shortage of natural river sand, a critical material for concrete works. This situation prompted MahaMetro to implement a strategic shift toward using crushed sand (manufactured sand), which is now being deployed more widely across construction sites.

"There was no work suspension on any corridor," clarified an official. "While there were minor and partial impacts, corrective measures were taken in time to ensure continuity of pier construction."

The transition required technical approvals and calibration, which temporarily affected work pace on some stretches. Additionally, the limited availability of crushed sand plants posed challenges as multiple corridors entered peak construction simultaneously.

Infrastructure and Execution Enhancements

Officials have implemented additional planning measures to stabilize output, including:

Optimized scheduling protocols
Improved material management systems
Deployment of 14 out of 15 planned launchers
Functioning of multiple casting yards

Execution capacity has been significantly strengthened with four major viaduct casting yards now fully operational. These facilities are geared to produce over 500 segments per month starting January, supporting faster viaduct construction as multiple stretches move into intensive span erection phases.

Complex Engineering Milestones

Several technically challenging components are currently underway:

Foundation work for the largest balanced cantilever span over the Veena river near Hingna bus stop is in full swing
Physical construction is progressing at 26 of the 32 stations planned under Phase-2
Complex designs including the 120-metre largest central CLC span, 100-metre and 79-metre open web girders have been successfully completed and taken up for execution
The technically challenging Kamptee Cantonment station, being constructed between two nullahs, is advancing according to plan

Future Focus and Timeline

With pier construction approaching the halfway mark, officials emphasize that maintaining momentum remains the primary focus. Efforts are concentrated on narrowing inter-corridor gaps in progress to ensure uniform advancement across all sections.

Phase 2 of Nagpur Metro is targeted for completion by November 2027, and timely completion of pier works is considered critical to keeping the entire project on schedule. The current progress indicates that despite material challenges, the expansion of Nagpur's mass rapid transit network is advancing steadily toward its completion goals.