Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari announced a comprehensive green city development plan for Nagpur involving the plantation of 2.5 million trees across the city and district under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. The initiative will provide saplings measuring 2 to 3 metres in height to schools, universities, voluntary organisations, political parties, and other stakeholders for large-scale plantation and conservation activities.
The Minister highlighted significant national welfare achievements over the past 12 years, including the opening of more than 58 crore bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, 60 crore citizens benefiting from Ayushman Bharat, 11 crore LPG connections provided under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, and 11 crore farmers receiving annual financial assistance under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
Substantial employment generation initiatives were detailed, with loans worth approximately ₹35 lakh crore disbursed to 57 crore beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana. The Startup India initiative has produced 1.6 lakh startups and 118 unicorns, while approximately 5 crore youth have received skill training under the Skill India Mission over the past 12 years.
Nagpur-specific development projects include modernisation of major city markets: Cotton Market Redevelopment Project (Phase I and II), Itwari Market, Dahi Market, Orange Market Development Project, Netaji Market Development Project, Kamal Chowk Commercial Complex, Budhwari Market, Mahal Redevelopment Project, and Sakkardara Budhwari Market Redevelopment Project. Additional projects include Agro Convention Centre at Dabha, Sokta Bhavan Redevelopment Project, Mor Bhavan Redevelopment Project, and Ganeshpeth Bus Stand Redevelopment Project.
Transport infrastructure developments include progress on Phase II of Nagpur Metro with Detailed Project Report for Phase III already prepared. Key institutional projects in Nagpur comprise Oxygen Park, Bird Park, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), National Law University, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Employees' State Insurance Hospital at Butibori, Buddhist Circuit Project, Deekshabhoomi Redevelopment Project, Sports Authority of India Centre, and Mother Dairy Project.
The Ministry has initiated establishment of 1,600 Driving Training Centres nationwide under a policy announced in January 2025, with 24 centres already operational and 112 centres in the pipeline. Approximately 10 lakh people have received training so far, with projected annual training capacity of 1.15 crore individuals once all centres become operational, creating significant employment opportunities.
Upcoming transport projects include the Nagpur-Hyderabad Expressway that will reduce travel time between the two cities to nearly three and a half hours, and the Indora-Dighori flyover project in Nagpur which is in its final stage and scheduled to open to traffic on August 1, 2026.