BHOPAL (Metro Rail News): Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is on the brink of welcoming a new metro system. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the metro’s model coach at the Smart City Park in Shyamla Hills, an event coordinated by Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited. CM Chouhan initiated the unveiling by pressing a button and subsequently entered the model coach. The metro train comprises three of these coaches, each spanning 22 meters in length and 2.9 meters in width.
During the initial phase of the Bhopal metro, a single train will be composed of three rail coaches. Each coach is designed to comfortably seat approximately 250 passengers. However, the train can accommodate many more passengers who are standing. The trial run for the metro is scheduled for September. The metro train is anticipated to operate along the route from Subash Nagar depot to Habibgang, covering a distance of approximately 4 km.
At least two metro rail stations, one of which is the Rani Kamlapati metro railway station, are anticipated to be finished and ready for trial runs in September. This trial run is a significant step toward enhancing urban transportation in Madhya Pradesh. The responsibility for executing the Bhopal and Indore metro projects lies with the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL). The French mobility company has been awarded the contract, worth an estimated Rs 3,200 crore, to provide metro trains and various systems for the Bhopal and Indore metro rail initiatives. The manufacturing is underway at their Savli plant in Gujarat as part of the Make In India initiative.
The work in the contract involves designing, manufacturing, supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning of 52 standard gauge Movia metro passenger trainsets, each configured with three cars. Bhopal will receive 27 of these trainsets, while Indore will have 25. Each train car measures 22 meters in length and 2.9 meters in width. The Bhopal Metro Rail Project obtained approval from the Union government on November 30, 2018. It encompasses a network stretching 27.87 kilometers, divided into two corridors: one linking Karond Circle to AIIMS, and the other connecting Bhadbhada Square to Ratnagiri Intersection. The approved budget for completion in 2018 was Rs 6,941.40 crore.
CM Chouhan announced that the trial run will be conducted next month, with full-fledged operations expected to start in April. Despite delays during the 15-month Congress government, the project is now progressing rapidly. The metro train will eventually be extended to Mandideep and Sehore, passing through Bairagarh.
