Phase 1 of Indore metro: CM gives green signal, work likely soon

Work on the first phase of Indore Light Metro Rail project may soon begin after chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave it in-principle approval at the secretariat building in Bhopal on Friday.

Work on the first phase of Indore Light Metro Rail project may soon begin after chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave it in-principle approval at the secretariat building in Bhopal on Friday.

CM Chouhan, who is also the chairman of Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Company Limited (MPMRCL), held discussions with Indore city mayor Malini Gaud and other officials, and instructed to proceed with the project in the phased manner while making them economically viable.

“The proposals of Indore Light Metro Rail project will be tabled before the state cabinet soon. Works will begin after approval from the cabinet,” a spokesperson of Gaud told Hindustan Times.

No change has been proposed to the 104 kilometre-long light metro route map. The entire project will cost around Rs 26,762.21 crore.

Most of employment centers are concentrated on two sides of Super Corridor. Initially, the Phase 1 route may link to Ring Road (Bengali Square) and may be extended till the Bypass later on.

Construction of the 31.46 km long Phase-I route, also called Ring Line, will cost about `7,522 crore, and is expected to start in 2018 -19. There will be 30 stations along the route. The Ring Line will have a 19.27 km elevated corridor, 1.97 km ramp distance, 7.09 km on ground and 3.22 km underground corridor respectively.

State government officials are planning to hold a fresh round of talks with Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) officials to pursue them for funding light metro rail projects in Bhopal and Indore.

The MPMRCL has identified four places for construction of metro station depots at Super Corridor, Scheme no. 78, Depalpur and Annapurna areas, for which it would require at least 50 acres of land for each terminal station.

Indore station gets free Wi-fi facility

Indore railways on Friday became the second railway station in Ratlam division of Western Railways to have free Wi-Fi internet facility. “The testing of wifi internet facility started from Friday evening at the railway station,” Western Railway PRO (Ratlam) Jitendra Kumar Jayant said.

The formal launch of WiFi services will happen soon but internet service will be available from Friday onwards at both the old and the Park Road railway station. Ujjain is the only other railway station under Ratlam division to have free wi-fi connectivity.

As many as 30 high speed routers have been installed to provide free internet connectivity.

On the right track

CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed officials to proceed with the project in phased manner, ensuring economic viability

104 km: The metro route

27: Total stations

Rs 26,762 crore: The entire project cost

The project is expected to start in 2018-19