Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday inaugurated an extended section of the Indore Metro, adding a 17-km corridor with 16 stations to the city's public transport network. The section, developed by the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MPMRCL) at a reported cost of ₹2,850 crore, connects Super Corridor-3 with Malviya Nagar.
The inauguration was attended by Union housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal, Union minister of state Tokhan Sahu and Madhya Pradesh urban development and housing minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, among other elected representatives and senior officials.
The new section expands metro connectivity from the earlier operational stretch in the city's outer areas towards more populated parts of Indore. Yadav said further extensions are planned to connect the city with Ujjain, Pithampur and other surrounding areas.
The state government has also linked the metro expansion with a broader plan to improve regional transport connectivity. Yadav referred to the recently approved ₹18,500-crore Indore-Manmad railway project, saying the proposed rail link would provide a direct connection between Indore and Mumbai through Manmad, reducing the need for routes through Gujarat.
According to the chief minister, rail and metro projects would together improve connectivity between Indore, Ujjain and other parts of Madhya Pradesh. The government has also proposed improved rail connectivity from Guna to Ujjain and onward to Indore and Manmad.
Metro expansion planned towards Ujjain, Pithampur
{{/usCountry}}According to the chief minister, rail and metro projects would together improve connectivity between Indore, Ujjain and other parts of Madhya Pradesh. The government has also proposed improved rail connectivity from Guna to Ujjain and onward to Indore and Manmad.
Metro expansion planned towards Ujjain, Pithampur
{{/usCountry}}Vijayvargiya said the original objective of the Indore Metro was to improve intra-city mobility, support the city's expansion and encourage decentralisation. He said the network is planned to eventually cover Pithampur, Mhow, Dewas, Maksi and Ujjain.
The minister said construction in the wider Indore region is expected to continue over the next 10 to 15 years as additional corridors are developed. He added that underground construction is being considered on key stretches to limit the impact of metro infrastructure on major roads and areas of the city.
The planned expansion is also expected to connect key transport and commercial nodes, including the railway station, bus stand and airport, while providing a metro link towards Ujjain.
Union government cites national metro expansion
Manohar Lal said the new Indore corridor would provide public transport access to students, employees, traders and other commuters. He said metro systems can contribute to urban development by improving mobility and supporting commercial and industrial activity.
He cited the expansion of India's metro network, saying metro services covered about 245 km across five cities in 2014, while the network is now planned to reach around 1,170 km across 26 cities.
The Union minister said further metro expansion in Indore could strengthen connections with the city's railway station, bus stand, airport and Ujjain, with potential implications for trade, tourism and religious travel.
The Centre and state governments have been expanding metro networks in several Indian cities as part of efforts to increase mass-transit capacity. The Indore extension is part of Madhya Pradesh's broader plan to develop a regional urban transport network around the state's commercial capital.