• Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (MPMRCL) is a collaborative endeavor between the visionary Government of India (GoI) and the progressive Government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP). At MPMRCL, we're not just building metro rail projects; we're also shaping the future of transportation in the heart of India. Towards this end MPMRCL has embarked on a journey of dynamic urban infrastructure development for enhanced mobility for the citizens in the capital city of Bhopal and commercial hub Indore. The projects in these two cities are well underway.
• MPMRCL was converted and incorporated as a 50:50 Joint Venture (JV) between the GoI and GoMP in August 2019 named Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MPMRCL).
• The JV board of MPMRCL is managed by five nominee directors each from GoI and GoMP. One of the nominee directors of GoI holds the position of the Chairman, whereas the Managing Director (MD) is appointed by GoMP.
• The board convened it’s first meeting in December-2020. For day to day management and supervision of the full spectrum of the Project, MPMRCL has it’s own experienced executive staff duly complemented and assisted by a General Consultants (GC) Team engaged by MPMRCL which consists of experts from various fields.
• At Bhopal the 7.0 KM elevated Priority Corridor of the Orange Line from Subhash Nagar to AIIMS having 8 stations is planned to be opened for public in December-2024. Here too, the civil and system works are being progressed for timely achievement of the goal. In case of Bhopal, the first train set had arrived on 18th September 2023 and the trials were commenced on 3rd October 2023.
•  At Indore, the 6.3 KM elevated Priority Corridor of the Yellow Line from Gandhi Nagar to Super Corridor (SC)-3, is slated to be opened to public by December-2024 and further extended upto Malviya Nagar Chauraha by March-2025 covering approximately 17.0 KM and 16 stations. Towards this this endeavour, the civil infrastructure in the viaduct, the elevated stations and the Depot have substantially progressed and the works on the systems are under implementation at good pace. The first train set had arrived on 10th September 2023 subsequent to which the trial runs were commenced on 30th September 2023.

Project Inception and Journey
 

• The vision for providing world class urban transport facilities in the two bustling cities - Bhopal and Indore was crystallized in early 2010 and in the first step the feasibility study carried out by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was accorded approval in 2011.
• Moving forward, preparation of the DPR was given by the Central Govt in 2012 and to coordinate and shoulder the onerous task of realising the dream, the MP Govt constituted the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Company Ltd (MPMRCL) in February 2015 with the mandate of Project conceptualisation and approval processes.
• The DPRs were eventually approved by the GoMP in October 2016 and finally the Central Govt sanctioned both the Bhopal and Indore Metro Rail Projects on 30th November 2018.  

Project Brief:
Bhopal Metro Rail Project:

• The approved DPR of Bhopal recommends a total of six metro corridors totalling 123.62 KM line length.
• In phased development program, the Govt of India has first approved two corridors viz the 14.99 KM North-South corridor designated as the Orange Line from Karond Chauraha to AIIMS (14 elevated and two underground stations) and the East West corridor of 12.88 KM length named the fully elevated Blue Line from Ratnagiri Tiraha to Bhadbhada Chauraha (14 elevated stations). The two lines intersect midway at Pul Bogda, which is also an interchange station and the total approved Project length for Bhopal stands at 27.87 KM.
• A common Depot has been located at Subhash Nagar. The Project has been sanctioned at a cost of INR 6941.40 Cr., part of which will be met from a loan from the European Investment Bank and the remaining cost will be borne equally by the GoMP and GoI.

Indore Metro Rail Project:

• Like Bhopal, the DPR recommended six lines for the city of Indore as well totalling a length of 124.43 KM.
• In the first stage, the GoI has approved construction of the 31.55 KM Ring Line named as the Yellow Line passing through Gandhi Nagar via six Super Corridor Stations to Bhawarsla Chauraha-Malviya Nagar- Indore Railway Station-Rajwada- Airport and back to Gandhi Nagar.
• There would be 21 elevated and 7 underground stations in the Ring Line. The Depot is located at Gandhi Nagar.  The cost of the Indore project has been approved for INR 7500.80 Cr. part of which will be funded by loans from Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the New Development Bank (NDB) and the remaining will be shared equally by GoI and GoMP.

Operations

• The metro lines in Bhopal and Indore are planned to be commissioned progressively in phases and once fully commissioned the operations in Bhopal and Indore, are envisaged to begin with by 27 three car trains and 25 three car trains respectively.