Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday announced that a 3.3-km section of the Indore Metro, passing through some of the city’s most densely populated residential and commercial areas, will now be constructed underground instead of as an elevated corridor to ease traffic congestion and address public concerns.
He added that the state government would bear the additional estimated cost of around Rs 900 crore due to the change in alignment. The original Indore Metro project, spanning 31.32 km, was proposed at a cost of Rs 7,500.8 crore, officials said.
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After the meeting, he told reporters, "We have decided that construction of a key section of the Metro rail line in the city will now be carried out underground. The decision has been taken keeping in mind better traffic management, public convenience and the city's development and aesthetics."
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Metro Project Update
1. Construction of the Metro line in the city has been underway since 2019.
2. The project has faced persistent hurdles in densely populated residential and commercial areas.
3. Residents in these localities have opposed the project, citing disruption to daily life and business activities.
4. The decision to change part of the alignment will increase the Metro project cost by Rs 800-900 crore, with the additional expenditure borne by the state exchequer.
5. Officials stated that the Metro will run underground for 3.3 km between Khajrana Square and the railway station, replacing the previously proposed elevated corridor, as the stretch is densely packed with houses and commercial establishments.
6. The chief minister announced the expansion of the Indore Metropolitan Area to 14,000 square kilometres, including Indore and parts of Ujjain, Dewas, Dhar, Ratlam, and Shajapur districts, aiming to develop it as a major national hub for trade, industry, and tourism.
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Meanwhile, Yadav laid the foundation stone for a new building of the state-run Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MYH) in the city. The Rs 773-crore facility will house 1,450 patient beds, making it one of the largest government hospitals in the state, officials said.
(With PTI Inputs)