Latest news with #Metro
Metro
42 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
54 years of groundbreaking LGBT TV that shaped what we watch today
In 2025, LGBT+ representation on TV still isn't perfect – but a lot of hard work has been done over the years to make sure things are better than they were. To celebrate the work done to make TV more accessible for everyone in the LGBT+ world, Metro has compiled seven examples of storylines that made things that little bit better each time (with some honourable mentions). From one of the first-ever LGBT+ characters on TV to groundbreaking British dramas of the 2000s, all the way through to a flagship 2010s Netflix series. The storylines chosen for consideration all fall between 1968, when the Hays Code was abolished, and 2015, when same-sex marriage was finally legalised across the United States. Implemented in 1934, the Hays Code rigidly enforced what was acceptable (and unacceptable) to be shown on TV in America, and it had far-reaching consequences in the UK as well. In the days since the disgraceful and dated guidelines were finally repealed, TV has come a long way – here are some milestone episodes that got us here. Across its eight years on TV between 1971 and 1979, American comedy series All in the Family gained a reputation for tackling tough subjects sensitively (for the era anyway). With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! The series is credited with allowing the sitcom format to introduce more dramatic moments into episodic storylines while also dealing with serious topics in a lighthearted manner. It didn't waste any time, with its fifth episode – titled Judging Books by Covers – examining LGBT+ themes and introducing somebody who is widely believed to be one of the first openly gay characters on TV. In the episode, protagonist Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) makes disparaging remarks about an effeminate man named Roger and presumes he must be gay. However, later in the episode, Archie finds out that one of his old college football buddies, Steve (Phil Carey), is gay and learns a valuable lesson about how to treat other people. The brave episode was controversial from the get-go, with sitting US President Richard Nixon accusing the series of 'glorifying homosexuality' with its content. For its time, The Golden Girls had a subversive attitude from the beginning, focusing on four single, mature women sharing a house together in Miami, Florida. It wasn't afraid to tackle weighty subjects either, and often deftly handled tricky topics for the 1980s, with the writers facing sensitive plotlines fearlessly and head-on. In the season 2 episode Isn't It Romantic? – aired in 1986 – Dorothy (Bea Arthur) invites her friend Jean to stay at the house that she shares with Rose (Betty White), Blanche (Rue McClanahan), and Sophia (Estelle Getty). Soon it's revealed that Jean is a lesbian and that she has a crush on Rose, which instantly rubs Blanche up the wrong way – not because Jean is gay, but because Jean fancies Rose instead of her. The rest of the episode pokes fun at the scenario, but not at Jean's sexuality. Instead the script gets several big laughs out of how self-involved Blanche becomes. It wouldn't be the last time The Golden Girls took a glance at LGBT+ themes, with future storylines analysing the topic from different perspectives. To this day, The Golden Girls remains popular with the community, with one Reddit fan explaining: '[The girls] were confident, secure, and loved themselves for who they were. LGBT+ people who felt alienated with society identified with these outsiders.' In 2023, IndieWire reporter Wilson Chapman said that TV show Frasier's queerness went far deeper than many viewers realised during its 11-year run between 1993 and 2004. Originally conceived as a spin-off from Cheers, Frasier soon took on a life of its own and became a hugely successful and acclaimed comedy in its own right. That process was helped along by episodes like season 2's The Matchmaker, which was originally broadcast in October 1994. In the episode, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) invites a man named Tom for dinner at his home, unaware that Tom thinks the dinner is an official date between the pair. Over the course of the episode, stereotypes about gay men are thoroughly deconstructed – the show's writers received a GLAAD Media Award for the show's portrayal of LGBT characters. In 2022, Reddit user Barbourwhat explained: 'TV never really depicted [gay men] as what they are – ordinary people. Tom wasn't a cartoon version of gay people and Frasier didn't treat him differently. He was just another person.' By its fourth season, TV executives for The Ellen Show were growing frustrated with its reluctance to depict Ellen Morgan's (Ellen DeGeneres) dating life. To remedy this, they suggested to show writer Johnathan Stark that Ellen should buy a puppy in order to focus the show's plot and boost falling ratings. Instead, Stark had another idea: sticking with the title The Puppy Episode, the writers began negotiating with Disney to have Ellen Morgan come out as a lesbian that week. At the same time, Ellen DeGeneres came out in real life. The buzz around the upcoming Puppy Episode was huge – major TV star Oprah Winfrey applied to be a guest actress on the show and, in 1997, said she would 'go to Hell' to defend Ellen's rights. In an emotional scene from The Puppy Episode, Ellen confesses her sexuality to her new friend Susan (played by Jurassic Park star Laura Dern) and later reveals the truth to her friends and neighbours. The episode was watched by 42million people (a series high) and was initially well received. But the backlash from some quarters was swift and horrible: The Ellen Show was slapped with a parental advisory warning and was cancelled a few months later. Ellen and Laura Dern's careers also suffered in the aftermath – while Ellen was briefly blacklisted from TV, Laura was out of work for 18 months as a result of her association. The backlash arguably proved the episode's point – that coming out can be tough to confront, hard to navigate, and unbelievably risky. Section 28 – which prohibited the 'promotion of homosexuality' in British schools – might have been repealed in 2003, but its legacy deeply impacted kids in classrooms up and down the UK for years afterwards. Not to mention that the 2000s saw a widespread increase in Islamophobia across the country, sparked by the War on Terror and further fueled by the news media. Which is why it was vitally important for E4 youth drama Skins to focus on the story of openly gay teenager Maxxie Oliver (Mitch Hewer) and his Muslim best friend Anwar Kharral (Dev Patel). Close friends for many years, Maxxie's sexuality doesn't appear to matter to Anwar at all. However, after finding out that Maxxie has secretly drawn intimate portraits of Anwar, the two fall out over Maxxie's sexuality conflicting with Anwar's religious beliefs. Things come to a head in the season finale, when Maxxie refuses to attend Anwar's 17th birthday party unless Anwar tells his conservative dad, Istiak (Inder Monocha), the truth about Maxxie's sexuality. When Istiak finds out, the two kids expect the worst… only for Istiak to comfort Maxxie. Istiak tells Maxxie that, while his beliefs have prevented him from understanding homosexuality so far, it won't always be that way. The two friends make up and remain close until the first generation of the cast leaves college and starts their lives by heading off to different universities. On Reddit in 2024, Jytsma said: 'The way the story was done was perfect. They are best friends, their beliefs should in theory oppose each other – but they love each other nonetheless.' The Love Boat (1982) An early 80s episode of The Love Boat titled Gopher's Roommate has been celebrated for its sensitive portrayal of transgender character Rachel, played by cisgender woman Mackenzie Phillips. One Life to Live (1992) Long-running soap opera One Life to Live introduced Billy Douglas in 1992, who became the first openly gay teenage character on American TV. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1995) Groundbreaking season 4 episode Rejoined became famous for depicting one of the first ever lesbian kisses seen on American TV. Friends (1996) Friends was never great for LGBT representation, but season 2 episode The One With the Lesbian Wedding is credited by fans with finally treating Carol and Susan like a loving, genuine couple. The Simpsons (1997) In season 8 of The Simpsons, Homer's homophobia is exposed and his ways are changed thanks to loveable new friend John, played by none other than John Waters. Coronation Street (1998) Hayley Cropper was the first transgender character to appear on a British soap. She was played by cisgender actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who later accepted she wouldn't be able to play the role these days. Queer as Folk (1999) Russell T. Davies' influential short-lived series about three gay men living in Manchester spawned a majorly successful American remake. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1999) Hush, a mostly silent episode of Buffy, has been called 'an elegy for its gays' as fan-favourite characters Willow and Tara begin what would become one of the first long-term lesbian relationships on TV. The Wire (2002) Michael K. Williams' iconic stick-up man Omar Little was described as 'the most important queer character of the century' by TV critic Razvan Ion in 2023. The Sopranos (2006) Season 6 episode Johnny Cakes, which depicted the love and romance in Vito's relationship with Jim, brought up the ugly resentment and homophobia of Tony Soprano and his crew and exposed them as being unable to adapt to the modern world. Ugly Betty (2007) Season 1 episode Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a heartbreaking outing for Ugly Betty, as 'love to hate him' character Marc St. James unexpectedly comes out to his conservative mother. Glee (2009) Adorable Kurt Hummel was one of the most recognisable faces on TV during Glee's early days, which is why his father's touching acceptance of his coming out warmed so many hearts 16 years ago. Modern Family (2013) The season 5 premiere sees main characters Mitchell and Cameron celebrate the legalisation of same-sex marriage in California by proposing to one another. Syed Masood (Marc Elliot) made his first appearance on EastEnders in 2009, a year after Christian Clarke (John Partridge) had come to Albert Square. After initially marrying Amira Shah (Preeya Kalidas), Syed comes to terms with his sexuality and enters a relationship with Christian, despite the pressure from his family and his Muslim faith. Wanting to avoid stereotypical storylines about homosexuality, writer Diederick Santer said Syed and Christian's story was 'more about the inner turmoil and conflict [they] endure'. The storyline had a major impact on TV viewers, with Inside Soap readers voting Syed as their favourite member of EastEnders' Masood family in 2011. Christian and Syed ultimately resolved their 'inner turmoil and conflict', marrying each other during a 2012 storyline and eventually moving to America to start their life together. EastEnders producer Lorraine Newman thanked Marc and John and said: 'Their characters have been a huge success. Their storylines have broken boundaries that have not been seen in a soap before.' In 2024, a Reddit user commented on the storyline, saying: '[Syed and Christian] got me into the show, so I've got a lot of love for them, particularly as I was a closeted gay teen at the time.' While great strides were made with some queer storylines on TV in the 2000s, transgender representation in media was still a mixed bag (to say the least – and, honestly, it still is!). 2013 was a landmark year, though, thanks to the third episode of Netflix's flagship series Orange Is the New Black – titled Lesbian Request Denied and starring Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset. OITNB initially told the story of Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a privileged middle-class woman sentenced to time in prison for drug running. Once there, she met an incredible ensemble of diverse characters who slowly but surely surpassed Piper – while Piper became just another inmate at Litchfield Women's Penitentiary, the stories of everyone else became far more important. Among them was Sophia, a transgender hairdresser in the prison's salon, who had been jailed for using fake credit cards to pay for her medication and gender reassignment surgery. More Trending Flashbacks show Sophia's life before prison – when she was a firefighter dealing with gender dysphoria, the subsequent collapse of her marriage, and estrangement from her son Michael. Writing for The AV Club in 2013, Myles McNutt said of the episode: 'Sophia is elevated above Piper for a week as we learn Sophia's own story of becoming.' The role of Sophia turned Laverne Cox into a star, eventually winning a Daytime Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for her work on the show. View More » In 2014, Laverne became the first ever trans actress to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and the first transgender person to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine, for an interview titled 'The Transgender Tipping Point'. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Iconic 90s BBC drama is now free to watch on UK streaming service MORE: I'm a man and I don't let myself climax during sex MORE: Chris Tarrant reveals heartbreaking reason he left TV career after 52 years
Metro
42 minutes ago
- Business
- Metro
What I Own: We pay £450 per month for our £409,950 mortgage-free Watford flat
Welcome back to What I Own – Metro's property series where we speak to homeowners about getting on the ladder. Roy and Gil Hamilton, both 84, were living in a three-bed flat when, looking to downsize, they began exploring the possibility of living in a retirement village. They eventually settled on a two-bedroom apartment in Watford, down the road from their previous home. They paid £409,950, leaving them mortgage-free. Since the couple completed in 2022, they've found a community, with Gil taking up Pilates and cheerleading, while Roy enjoys watercolour painting. They initially paid a £500 reservation fee, and now their monthly costs total just £450, including all bills and service charges. Here's what Roy had to say about their property journey… You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from: – Award winning service from the UK's leading mortgage broker – Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week – Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won't charge you a fee for their advice. Find out how much you could borrow online Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. My wife, Gil and I, are both 84 years old and in September, we'll have been married for 60 years. Gil is French and was working as a translator when we met. I was an engineer before moving into selling high-value computers. We both have separate hobbies, and enjoy socialising too. Our reservation fee was £500, and we bought our property at Mayfield Watford Retirement Village outright two and a half years ago, so we don't have a mortgage. The service charge, including management fee and services, heating, electricity and water, is roughly £450 a month. Our first ever property cost £295,000 when we bought it after we got married, in 1964. It was a three-bedroom semi-detached house in Up Holland, which is a village in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire. I can't quite remember how much the deposit was all those years ago, but we saved up £50 a month until we were able to buy. We've lived in six properties in different parts of the country since then, most recently the two-bedroom apartment in Watford. The proceeds from the sale of the flat were enough to buy our new home outright. We love the area as our previous property was nearby, so we've known it for years. We've got lots of family here, which is one of our favourite things about it. There's a thriving community at Mayfield. There are shops, a riverside park, as well as leisure facilities, such as a pool, sauna, gym, beauty treatment rooms and a café. We completed on September 30 2022, and the apartment cost £409,950. We lived in a flat in Watford with three double bedrooms and two bathrooms. Once we saw what Mayfield had to offer, we were particularly sold on the social aspect. There are many clubs and opportunities to socialise with people. My wife is part of the Mayfield Belles, the village's cheerleaders, who perform at our big events. We received a leaflet in the post and decided to visit. At the time we had no idea what a retirement village offered, but we haven't looked back since. We didn't bring any furniture with us, because it was all too big for our new, smaller, space at Mayfield. All of our furniture was bought to fit the available space, so we don't feel cramped. We both had the opportunity to pick what kind of wallpaper and paint we wanted, which was mainly chosen to go well with our new furniture. We're in the process of redecorating. Our kitchen units are grey, so we've repainted the walls in a deep reddish maroon to contrast. We've also added wallpaper in the lounge at the moment, which is patterned grey and silver. The lounge. It feels like the heart of the home to us. It's just right. Yes. We'd actually already downsized to our previous three-bed flat, as the home we lived in before that was becoming too hard to maintain. Our Mayfield apartment being smaller means it's easy to keep clean. More Trending Downsizing is one of the best decisions we've ever made. It's about reassessing where you are in life, and doing what's best for you, which means changing your attitude – and your furniture! There have been no problems with the property and Gil and I are very happy with our decision to move here. Moving to Mayfield is the best thing we ever did. It was a change of lifestyle, and for a better one. View More » But although buying a home is exciting, it can be a very stressful time. So, my biggest piece of advice is to make sure to support each other throughout the process. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Inside the new town being built in London with 56,000 new jobs MORE: Three sneaky tricks house sellers use to disguise issues — and what to look out for MORE: This is how long it takes to sell a home in each UK city
Metro
2 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Metro
The best citrus scents to see you through this summer
Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more I love little more than zesty fragrance, I always have done. I find oud scents can be too heady, woody notes too opulent when you're a few rosé's down at a garden party with the sun beaming down. While rose and other floral scents are fitting for the spring/summer months, I still lean towards the light and crisp citrus accords. I have worn citrus scents all year round, because citrus notes have been said to lift the mood when the gloomy weather hits. However, I know zesty scents are often preferred in the summer months when you want something fresh and playful. Let's not get citrus scents confused with citronella, which is totally different, and why (I believe) summer fragrances get a bad rep. The main accords that characterise a zesty summer scent include citrus fruits, such as lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit, while bergamot is also a popular find. Another myth to debunk is that these light and playful summer-appropriate fragrances do not last, but I've not found this. The lasting power is largely dependent on the trio of scent layers, base, heart and top. Whether you are looking for a summer scent to see you through this holiday season, and many more to come, a lightweight daytime aroma for the office, or you're looking to establish a signature wedding scent, we have whittled down our personal favourites. A sparkling citrus burst built around pomelo, which is a type of grapefruit, vetiver, patchouli, clove and suede, Jo Loves Pomelo is clean, sharp, and sun-drenched. Inspired by one of Jo Malone's holidays, it's ideal for those who want something uplifting, genderless, and effortlessly chic. I have worn this scent ever since Jo Malone launched her second fragrance label, and I wear it every day and night in the summer months, especially on holiday. BUY NOW FOR £35 A bold, modern citrus scent that balances sharp mandarin and bergamot with warming cedarwood and fresh white musk. It's fresh yet grounded, clean but with an edge, thanks to the blend of citrus and matcha, as well as wood resin and violet. It's a perfect unisex scent too, plus it has a bit more holding power than others. BUY NOW FOR £25 A few years ago I ventured to the Amalfi Coast and was welcomed into Capri's fragrance house, Carthusia, with open course I had to take home a scent as memorabilia, and now every time I wear this punchy zesty scent it takes me straight back to sipping a limencello spritz on the clifftop overlooking the Faraglioni rock formation at sea. It is a bold scent filled with lemon, orange, marjoram and bergamot notes, as well as wild jasmine that is undercut with sea moss, amber, musk and cedarwood, so it is not too pungent. Thankfully you can purchase it in the UK too. BUY NOW FOR £110 While it may be my boyfriend's go-to scent for evenings out, I think it is a wonderfully genderless fragrance. It's fresh and zesty, but with a slight peppery finish tat doesn't overpower the sense. Not purely citrus, but its zesty top notes give it a crisp freshness perfect for summer fun. BUY NOW FOR £165 (WAS £220) This minimalist scent combines the key accord, bergamot, with other top notes including bell pepper and grapefruit. The heart notes include ginger, muguet and cardamom, which add warmth and a bit of extra sharpness, while musk, sandalwood and amberwood are the base notes. It is fresh, earthy, and herby, yet is light enough for the summer months. BUY NOW FOR £89 This scent combines orange blossom with lemon, neroli and bergamot for a multi-dimensional scent. This blend achieves a sweet yet floral fragrance with a hint of citrus. In other words, it is a welcome alternative to zingy citrus fragrances as this is slightly gentler on the nose. BUY NOW FOR £170 The clue is in the name – this fragrance is fresh, but also long-lasting for hours of wear. It is a lighter sister of the classic Chanel Chance, as this version is all about citrus, wood notes, and jasmine. BUY NOW FOR £109 A playful citrus scent, which does exactly as it says on the tin. Kayali scents are known for being sweet, but this offers a zesty twist on that. It blends candied lemon, which is sour yet sweet, with fragrant freesia, and tart raspberry for a sweet (but not sickly) fresh fragrance. BUY NOW FOR £79 You know my love for Escentric Molecules 001, well there's another scent to have on your radar this summer. It contains the same Iso E Super ingredient that reacts with your natural scent to create a clean and bespoke fragrance, while the addition of tart mandarin gives the scent a summer-ready twist. BUY NOW FOR £115 This scent brings together lemon, ginger, apple, tangerine, with amber, jasmine and black pepper for a bold citrus perfume that lasts. It's fresh, yet zesty, sweet, but not sickly, warm and a little seductive. BUY NOW FOR £99 This genderless scent has garnered high praise from numerous beauty journalists I know, so it had to make the cut, though it is on the higher price point. The citrus-woody fragrance boasts notes of bergamot, amber, vetiver, and patchouli for a sophisticated summer scent. BUY NOW FOR £170 While iris leads the way, its zesty mandarin and citrus, with neroli, orris and woody undertones that creates a refreshing fragrance perfect for the summer. It's soft, fresh, on the gentle citrus side, and wearable for day and night. BUY NOW FOR £119 (WAS £140) I don't know what it is but Dolce and Gabbana's Light Blue always reminds me of summer, and has done for D&G often release a spin-off of the classic too, such as Dreaming in Portofino, and Summer Vibes, which is rather fitting. Just the words lemon, cypress wood and amber has us dreaming of balmy summer nights on the Italian Riviera. BUY NOW FOR £75.60 (WAS £108) Now that's what we call a scent-sation! MORE: 'Everyone asks what fragrance I'm wearing – it's this little-known niche perfume' MORE: From H&M plates to your next Phlur fragrance – here's 20 things to buy this weekend MORE: Top 6 items any first-time buyer should have on their shopping list as chosen by our shopping expert Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Sitaare Zameen Par box office: Despite Maa & Kannappa arrival, Aamir Khan-Genelia D'Souza starrer remains first choice for cinegoers
Sitaare Zameen Par now stands with a grand total of approximately Rs 95 crore and is set to enter the Rs 100 crore club today read more Despite the arrival of Kajol starrer Maa and Vishnu Manchu's pan-India movie Kannappa, with cameos of biggies like Prabhas, Mohanlal, and Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par remained the first for the cinegoers. As per early estimates, the social dramedy remained on par with its Thursday business and raked in around Rs 6.75 crore. Sitaare Zameen Par now stands with a grand total of approximately Rs 95 crore and is set to enter the Rs 100 crore club today. It will become the 6th Bollywood film to achieve this feat in 2025 after Sky Force, Chhaava, Sikandar, Raid 2 and Housefull 5. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite the reduction of screens and facing new competitors, including Hollywood biggie F1, Sitaare Zameen Par seems to be a strong contender at the ticket windows. Directed by R.S. Prasanna of Shubh Mangal Saavdhan fame, Sitaare Zameen Par also features Genelia D'Souza, Dolly Ahluwalia, Brijendra Kala, Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra and Simran Mangeshkar in prominent roles. The music of the film is composed by the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, with BGM by Ram Sampath. It is an official remake of the 2018 Spanish film Champions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sitaare Zameen Par has turned out to be a comeback success of Aamir Khan after back-to-back debacles with Thugs of Hindostan and Laal Singh Chaddha. With the arrival of another Hollywood biggie on 2nd July in the form of Jurassic World: Rebirth starring Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Ed Skrein on 2nd July followed by Metro… In Dino featuring Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal and Fatima Sana Shaikh, it would be interesting to see how strong hold Aamir Khan starrer will maintain at the box office.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Two 6-lane flyovers to run parallel to Nagpur Metro viaducts on NH-44
Nagpur: Changing the urban transport infrastructure of the city, MahaMetro and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) to enable the construction of Metro viaducts and parallel two 6-lane flyovers along critical stretches of the national highway as part of the Nagpur Metro Rail Project Phase 2 on Friday. The MoU, signed at the NHAI regional office in Nagpur, allows MahaMetro to use NHAI's Right of Way (RoW) for constructing elevated Metro corridors along two key routes — from Jamtha to Butibori on NH-44 (Butibori stretch) and from HB Town to Transport Nagar on NH-53 (Pardi stretch). On the Butibori stretch, the Metro viaducts and the two proposed 6-lane flyovers will be integrated in terms of structural planning but will not follow a double-decker design. A senior MahaMetro official clarified that, unlike the double-decker arrangements seen on Wardha Road or the Kamptee corridor, the Metro and flyovers here will run parallel to each other. In specific sections, such as underpasses, they will share substructures to make optimal use of space and reduce overall costs. However, the design plans and cost estimates are still being finalised and remain subject to change, the official added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Two flyovers, each around 2 km long, are planned along this route — one in front of the VCA Stadium at Jamtha and the other near Dongargaon. Additionally, the Metro line will cross over an existing railway track near Borkhedi. At this location, due to the presence of a previously constructed railway overbridge, the Metro crossing will create a structure that may appear similar to a double-decker, a senior NHAI official said. The stretch between Jamtha and Butibori, measuring around 10 km, includes approximately 8 km where the Metro viaduct will run directly along NH-44. However, before Metro construction can fully commence on this stretch, realignment of the highway's centre portion is required. MahaMetro is currently carrying out that work as part of the road widening initiative. A senior MahaMetro official told TOI, "The widening is being done to facilitate Metro work. We have already started the road widening and once that is completed and we have two additional lanes available for traffic, we will begin erecting the Metro pillars. The flyover and Metro construction will then proceed simultaneously without disrupting highway traffic." NHAI, on its part, has extended full support for the execution of the project. A senior NHAI official confirmed, "We have made officially extended cooperation to MahaMetro and will be providing backend support whenever needed. All required permissions from our side have already been granted, and we've facilitated utility shifting and other procedures." The MoU also sets clear provisions for adherence to Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines, including a minimum 6-metre vertical clearance for vehicles and the use of independent engineers and joint inspections to ensure quality, safety, and coordination between agencies. The agreement was signed at the NHAI office by Rakesh Prakash Singh (CGM & RO, NHAI), Naresh Gurbani (executive director, MahaMetro), and R Arun Kumar (executive director, MahaMetro). Officials emphasised that the initiative reflects a shared vision to integrate mass transit solutions with national highway development — helping reduce congestion and cater to the needs of Nagpur's rapidly expanding population.
