According to the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL), the CMRS gave the go-ahead after a final round of inspections last month, assessing the project on multiple safety and operational parameters.

In its first phase, metro services will begin on a 5.9-km super priority corridor, running from Gandhi Nagar Station to Station No. 3 on the Super Corridor. The stretch includes five stations, and the infrastructure is designed to handle six-coach trains.

However, officials confirmed that only three-coach trains will be deployed initially, with the option to expand if passenger demand increases. Each coach can carry around 300 passengers, including 50 seated.

A trial run on this corridor was already held in September 2023, but no official date has been announced yet for the start of commercial services.

The corridor runs through a newly developed area with a sparse population, which experts say could pose a challenge in attracting ridership early on.

Madhya Pradesh Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya stated on April 2 that a passenger demand study will be conducted before launching operations. “We don’t want to run the metro at a loss. So we are not rushing into anything,” he said.

The Indore Metro's first phase—a 31.5-km circular corridor—is being built at a cost of Rs 75 billion. The foundation for the project was laid on September 14, 2019.

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