Boost to Metro Rail connectivity in Bhopal

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved implementation of Bhopal Metro Rail Project comprising two corridors of total length 27.87 Km (i) Karond Circle to AIIMS (14.99 Km) and (ii) Bhadbhada Square to RatnagiriTiraha (12.88 Km) which will connect major public nodes and city cluster areas of Bhopal. 

Details:

1. The length of Karond to AIIMS corridor is 14.99 km, which is mostly elevated and partly underground (at Bhopal Railway Station & Bus Station) and comprises of 16 Stations (14-El.evated and 2-Underground).
2. The length of Bhadbhada to RatnagiriTiraha corridor is 12.88 km comprising of 14 stations all elevated.
3. The project will provide continuous availability of affordable, reliable, safe, secure and seamless transport system in the urban agglomeration of the city, which will reduce the accidents, pollution, travel time, energy consumption, anti-social incidents as well as regulate urban expansion and land use for sustainable development.
4. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 6941.40 crore and the project will be completed in four years.

Benefits:

The population of 23 lakh of Bhopal agglomeration area is expected to be benefitted by Bhopal Metro Rail Project directly and indirectly. The corridors will be having Multimodal Integration with Railway Stations & BRTS Stations and will have feeder network of Bus, Intermediate Public Transport (IPT) and Non Motorised Transport (NMT).  The Project will have non-fare box revenue from rental & advertisement as well as Value Capture Financing (VCF) through mechanism of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Transfer of Development Rights (TDR).

The residential areas along this Metro Rail corridors shall be immensely benefitted by this project, as the people of these areas will be able to travel on trains from their own neighborhoods to reach different areas of the city conveniently.

Karond to AIIMS corridor will pass through the heart of city and connect densely populated areas with Bus Station, Railway Stations and AIIMS. Bhadbhada to Ratnagiri corridor will connect upcoming Smart City's Area Based Development (ABD) with BFIEL and surrounding industrial areas.  TheMetro will provide Eco friendly and sustainable public transport to residents, commuters, industrial workers, visitors and travelers.

Progress:

• A SPY namely Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Co Ltd. (MPMRCL) has been constituted for implementation of the Project.
• The financing of Bhopal Metro Rail Project will be partly from GoI and GoMP on equal equity basis and partly as loan from European Investment Bank (EIB).
• M/s DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH in consortium with M/s Louis Berger SAS and M/s Geodata Engineering S.p.A has been appointed as General Consultant (GC) for Bhopal Metro Rail Project.
• The tenders for first civil work package have been invited and work will start soon.