Indore metro rail's commercial operations may start early next year

The long wait for metro rail in Indore city of Madhya Pradesh may end in the beginning of the year 2025 as preparations for its commercial operation have been intensified. An official of Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (MPMRC) on Wednesday said that initially the metro rail will be run on a 5.9 kilometre stretch between Gandhi Nagar station of the city to station number-three of the Super Corridor, where its trial run was carried out in September 2023.

The MPMRC named this part "super priority corridor". Talking to PTI, the official said, "We are trying to start commercial operation of the metro rail on this 5.9 km route at the beginning of the new year. For this, our different tests are underway on the route." 

The MPMRC will submit its report to the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) as soon as these tests are completed. Afterwards, the CMRS team will inspect this route and take stock of the arrangements, he said. According to the official, the commercial operation of metro rail can be started on this route only after getting a green signal from the CMRS. 

"Metro rail stations in the city have been designed in such a way that a train of six coaches can be run through them. However, initially we will run a train of three coaches. If the number of passengers increases, three more coaches can be added to it," the official said. 

The official said that about 300 passengers can travel in one coach of the metro rail, including 50 people sitting on the seat. He said that the foundation stone for the first phase of the metro rail project with a total cost of Rs 7,500.80 crore in Indore was laid on September 14, 2019. Under this, about 31.50 km long metro rail corridor is to be built in the city.