Transport in Nagpur

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Transport in Nagpur is important due to Nagpur's strategic location in central India. Though city lacks any major mass transit system[1] its road network is maintained in good condition to avoid congestions. Nagpur is well connected with four major metros of India namely Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkatta and Chennai by all three modes - road, rail and air. Auto rickshaws operate in most parts of Nagpur and are the main form of hired transport.

Contents

[edit] Railways

Due to its central location, Nagpur is a very important railway junction and a transit for almost all the trains that connect the country lengthwise and breadthwise, especially trains connecting India's four major metropoles (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata) located in the four corners of the country.[2] The main railway station in Nagpur city is the Nagpur railway station, while the much smaller Ajni, Itwari, Kalamna, Kamptee, and Khapri are the other railway stations in the city's vicinity.

Nagpur railway station was built in 1867 and is located in center of Nagpur. It is located on foot of Sitabuldi hill which has the historic fort on it. It is the headquarter of Nagpur division of central and south eastern Indian railway lines. Another nearby station Ajni serves mostly as cargo terminal. British India had opened the Bombay-Bhusawal-Nagpur line in 1867 to link the cotton growing Vidarbha region with port city of Bombay. Later this line was extended to Howrah station on east[3] .

The main building is made up pink sandstone just like other colonial structures of Reserve Bank of India, Vidhan Bhavan present in Nagpur[4]. The building is declared as heritage site. Ministry of Indian railways has recently selected Nagpur Railway Station for development and an one time package of INR 100 crore has been allocated for its up gradation of existing station. A new flyover has been built in front of station to reduce traffic congestion[5]. Another world class station is coming up at MIHAN to serve Nagpur. Recently closed circuit camera vigilance has been put on Nagpur station[6].

[edit] Roads

NAGPUR offers clean and wide roads
NAGPUR offers clean and wide roads

Nagpur is also a major junction for roadways as India's two major national highways (Kanyakumari-Varanasi (NH 7) and Hajira-Kolkota (NH-6)) pass through the city.[7] One more highway number 69 connect Nagpur to Obaidullaganj near Bhopal. Nagpur is also at the junction of two Asian Highways namely AH43 Agra,India to Matara, Sri Lanka and AH46 connecting Kharagpur, India to Dhule,India Moreover, Nagpur city has come in the national spotlight recenty for its good roads, which were developed as part of the upgradation and renewal works under Integrated Road Development Project (IRDP), spearheaded by the erstwhile Commissioner of the Corporation Dr. T Chandrashekhar. In another development, the Inland Container Depot at Nagpur run by Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has been the fastest growing inland port in the country in recent years.[8]

[edit] Air

The masterplan for the MIHAN complex on the outskirts of Nagpur city.
The masterplan for the MIHAN complex on the outskirts of Nagpur city.
MIHAN Cargo Hub
MIHAN Cargo Hub
Main article: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport

Nagpur's Air Traffic Control (ATC) is the busiest in India[8], with more than 300 international flights flying over the city every day in 2004.[9] Domestic airlines such as Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Indigo, kingfisher Airlines, GoAir, Sahara and Air Deccan connect Nagpur with major cities like Mumbai (8 flights daily), Delhi (4 flights daily), Ahemdabad (2 flight daily), Pune(2 flight daily), Bangalore (1 flight daily)Indore (1 flight daily), Hyderabad (3 flight daily and 1, 4 times a week), and Kolkata (1 flight daily and another twice a week). In October 2005, Nagpur's erstwhile Sonegaon Airport was declared an international airport and was renamed Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport.[10] Initial flights between Nagpur and Sharjah were launched by Air Arabia with the intention of tapping the strong demand for international travel within Central India.[11] In April 2006 Indian Airlines connected Nagpur and Bangkok with a non-stop twice weekly service. Likewise, Qatar Airways has started a twice-weekly service from Nagpur to Doha as well as Air India started a flight to Dubai 3days a week from 24th sept 2007; SilkAir to start for Singapore & Emirates air to dubai shortly.

Nagpur is set to be a prominent destination on India's aviation map as the country's first ever Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur(MIHAN) was completed on the outskirts of the city in 2006. MIHAN is expected to contribute significantly to the development of the city as well as the economically backward Vidarbha region.[12][13] Another major impetus to the budding aviation industry in Nagpur is Boeing's decision to set up a $ 185 million maintenance base in the city in 2006.[14]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Will_BRTS_solve_citys_public_transport_woes. Times of India. Times of India. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  2. ^ "Nagpur stakes claim to lead boomtown pack". The Indian Express. Retrieved on 2006-06-22.
  3. ^ central railways. Indian Railways. Indian Railways. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  4. ^ [www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020331/spectrum/main7.htm Nagpur railway station pink building]. www.tribuneindia.com. www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved on 2002-02-31.
  5. ^ flyover station-road-flyover-and-passenger. raipurprojects.blogspot.com. raipurprojects.blogspot.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
  6. ^ Nagpur railway station in making. nagpurestate.wordpress.com. nagpurestate.wordpress.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
  7. ^ "Nagpur stakes claim to lead boomtown pack". The Indian Express. Retrieved on 2006-06-22.
  8. ^ a b "Nagpur stakes claim to lead boomtown pack". The Indian Express. Retrieved on 2006-06.
  9. ^ "Nagpur: South Asia’s emergent hub". The India Brand Equity Foundation. Retrieved on 2006-07-04.
  10. ^ "Nagpur Airport being renamed". The Hindu. Retrieved on 2006-06-28.
  11. ^ "Nagpur set to become international airport — Air Arabia to start operations from Oct 16". The Hindu. Retrieved on 2006-06-28.
  12. ^ "Nagpur to be India's first cargo hub". The Times of India. Retrieved on 2006-06.
  13. ^ Understanding Underdevelopment in Vidarbha. IWMI-Tata WATER POLICY PROGRAM. Retrieved on 2006-06-22.
  14. ^ "Boeing to site $185 mln Indian facility in Nagpur". Reuters. Retrieved on 2006-09-09.