Mumbai, June 9 -- In a bid to make Maharashtra 'Railway Fatak Free' (free of railway crossings), chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday approved 65 of 131 proposed railway infrastructure projects across the state. Of the 65 approved projects, those on roads with traffic volumes ranging 25,000-100,000 Train Vehicle Units (TVU) and requiring minimal land acquisition should be completed on priority, Fadnavis told officials during a meeting between the state government and the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MahaRail). The approved projects include railway overbridges, pedestrian bridges, and underpasses on roads under the public works and urban development departments. Addressing officials, Fadnavis said no railway level crossings should exist anywhere in Maharashtra. Infrastructure should be created to achieve a level crossing-free state, he said, emphasising the need for improved connectivity infrastructure in rapidly urbanising areas around railway lines in metropolitan regions. MahaRail managing director Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal said the elimination of railway level crossings and development of modern infrastructure would strengthen road safety, improve mobility, reduce congestion, and create seamless connectivity. In a statement issued after the meeting, MahaRail said, "As part of a comprehensive statewide survey conducted over the past six months, MahaRail identified 80 locations across Maharashtra where there are no railway level crossings, but where the construction of ROBs, RUBs, and FOBs is necessary to improve road connectivity and decongest existing traffic corridors. These proposed interventions will help bridge gaps in the road network, facilitate smoother movement across railway lines, generate fuel savings, and enhance overall mobility for commuters and freight traffic." Fadnavis directed MahaRail to prioritise projects in phases and arrange funding through the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO). He also asked HUDCO to explore financing mechanisms that can reduce borrowing costs and lower interest rates charged to the state government. The chief minister also asked the process of bringing MahaRail under the public works department to be expedited....