After years of waiting, Bhopal Metro is finally ready to roll. The city will witness its first metro service on Saturday, December 20, marking a new chapter in urban transport for Madhya Pradesh. The inauguration ceremony will be held at the Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre (Minto Hall) and will be attended by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, according to IANS.
After the event, the leaders, along with Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, will head to Subhash Nagar Metro Station to flag off the first metro train at 5 pm. They will travel in a flower-decorated three-coach metro train from Subhash Nagar to AIIMS station, marking the symbolic start of the service.
Public metro services start December 21
Regular metro services for passengers will begin on Sunday, December 21, officially making Bhopal the second metro city in Madhya Pradesh after Indore. Initially, trains will run on the priority corridor of the Orange Line, which is an elevated stretch of 6.22 km.
This corridor has eight stations: Subhash Nagar, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Board Office Chauraha (MP Nagar), MP Nagar, Rani Kamalapati (Habibganj) Station, DRM Office, Alkapuri and AIIMS. The route connects important commercial areas, the city’s main railway station and a major hospital and is expected to reduce traffic congestion while serving thousands of daily commuters.
Cost, features and fare details
The Phase-1 metro project includes two corridors: the Orange Line (AIIMS to Karond, 16 km) and the Blue Line (14 km), covering a total of 28-31 km at a cost of over Rs 10,000 crore. The priority corridor alone cost Rs 2225 crore, as per a government statement.
The metro offers modern facilities such as high-speed lifts, escalators, wheelchair access, Braille signage, AI-based CCTV, platform screen doors and advanced signaling systems. Eco-friendly features include regenerative braking and solar power. From Sunday, trains will run from 9 am to 7 pm, with 17 daily trips and fares starting at Rs 20, with no free rides or discounts.
