MP Metro allows birthday parties to generate revenue and boost ridership

Pre-wedding shoots, film shoots, weddings, engagements, and birthday celebrations can be hosted with charges ranging between ₹5,000 and ₹7,000 per hour

The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) launched celebrations on wheels in Bhopal and Indore that will rent out metro stations, coaches and premises for photoshoots, birthday parties and pre-wedding celebrations at the rate of ₹5,000 per hour to increase footfall and generate revenue, officials said on Wednesday.

The move comes as both metros struggle to attract commuters. (Representative Image/ HT File Photo)

“The initiative, aimed at offsetting losses due to low passenger turnout, is also being promoted as a way to familiarise people with the newly launched metro systems in Bhopal and Indore by spending over ₹11,000 crores, senior officer of urban development department said.

The expenditure on operations is around ₹6–8 lakh per day, while current earnings in Bhopal and Indore hover between ₹8,000 and ₹10,000 daily, official said.

The official added that pre-wedding shoots, film shoots, weddings, engagements, and birthday celebrations can be hosted with charges ranging between ₹5,000 and ₹7,000 per hour. Bookings must be made 15 days in advance and will be confirmed only after agreeing to mandatory rules, official said.

Alcohol, cigarettes, fireworks, and candles are prohibited and guests must undergo security checks.

The facilities became available this week.

The move comes as both metros struggle to attract commuters. Bhopal Metro, inaugurated on December 20, 2025, operates on a 6-km stretch with eight stations including Subhash Nagar, DB Mall, MP Nagar, Rani Kamalapati Railway Station, and AIIMS.

Indore Metro, launched on May 31, 2025, runs across 17km. While it initially saw over 25,000 passengers, footfall sharply declined since then.

“Every metro project incurs losses in the beginning, even in cities like Delhi and Jaipur. As the route length increases, footfall will rise. We do not expect profits until end-to-end journeys are operational,” Metro corporation managing director (MD) S Krishna Chaitanya said.

“The ‘celebration on wheels’ concept, previously tried by Indian Railways, is now being adapted for metros to generate revenue, promote public transport, and give people a chance to experience its convenience, without compromising safety,” said the MD.