Indore Metro’s Key Stretch to Go Underground, Project Cost to Rise by ₹900 Crore

The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to construct a 3.3-kilometre stretch of the Indore Metro underground instead of as an elevated corridor, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced on Sunday, citing public convenience, traffic management and the city’s aesthetics.

The change in alignment will increase the overall cost of the Metro project by an estimated ₹800–900 crore, an amount that will be borne by the state exchequer, the chief minister said after reviewing development projects in Indore, the state’s financial capital.

The revised plan applies to the stretch between Khajrana Square and the Indore railway station, an area marked by dense residential neighbourhoods and busy commercial establishments. Officials said the elevated corridor proposed earlier had faced strong opposition from residents and traders due to concerns over disruption to daily life and business activities.

“The decision has been taken keeping in mind better traffic management, public convenience and the overall development and aesthetics of the city,” Yadav told reporters.

The original Indore Metro project envisages a 31.32-kilometre-long network at an estimated cost of ₹7,500.8 crore. Construction began in 2019 but has encountered repeated challenges in crowded parts of the city.

In another major announcement, the chief minister said the proposed Indore Metropolitan Area would be significantly expanded to cover about 14,000 square kilometres across western Madhya Pradesh. The metropolitan region will include Indore along with parts of Ujjain, Dewas, Dhar, Ratlam and Shajapur districts.

“Indore Metropolitan Area will be developed as a major national hub for trade, industry and tourism,” Yadav said.

During his visit, the chief minister also laid the foundation stone for a new building of the state-run Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MYH) in Indore. The ₹773-crore project will add a modern facility with 1,450 patient beds. MYH is among the largest government hospitals in Madhya Pradesh.