
MahaMetro to build Disaster Mgmt Institute worth Rs187.7 crore in Nagpur
MahaMetro
), Nagpur, has been officially appointed as the project implementation agency for the upcoming
State Institute of Disaster Management
(SIDM), to be built in Nagpur at a cost of Rs187.73 crore.
The state govt recently cleared the proposal, giving MahaMetro the task of planning, executing, and overseeing the construction of the new facility, which is designed to be Maharashtra's central hub for disaster preparedness and response, as stated in a GR released in the last week of April.The institute will be established on a 10-acre plot within the Maharashtra Airport Development Company's jurisdiction in Mihan.
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MahaMetro will prepare a detailed project report (DPR), including the layout, estimated costs, and timelines. The agency is entitled to receive up to 5% of the project cost as implementation charges.TOI reported on April 9 about the project inception in Nagpur. The SIDM will mirror the structure of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in Delhi and will serve as the state's primary institution for research, training, and coordination in disaster risk reduction, mitigation, and management. It will provide technical and logistical support to authorities dealing with natural and human-induced disasters across the state.Though the SIDM was first approved in principle in December 2023 by the previous Eknath Shinde-led cabinet, it remained a non-starter until revived by the current administration. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who originally floated the idea while serving as deputy CM, fast-tracked the proposal after taking charge of the state.The funding for the project will be drawn from the state's disaster prevention budget, earmarked for the establishment and furnishing of the SIDM. The institute will be regulated by the state's disaster management authority and overseen by a governing council led by the chief secretary.This move comes on the heels of the recent operationalisation of a high-tech State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) in Mumbai, highlighting the state govt's push to modernise its
disaster response
framework. Officials said the SIDM will complement the SEOC by providing long-term training, planning, and knowledge support.With MahaMetro now officially on board, the project is expected to move forward rapidly, with DPR submission due in the coming months.
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