Bhopal Metro To Launch Orange Line With Noise Control
07 Oct 2025 CW Team
The Bhopal Metro is gearing up to launch its priority corridor next month, marking a major milestone for the city’s urban transport network. The Orange Line stretch from AIIMS to Subhash Nagar Depot, covering eight stations, will allow trains to run at speeds of up to 80 km/h while incorporating extensive noise and vibration control technologies, in line with the Metro Rail Transit System Guidelines for Noise and Vibrations (2015), according to the Times of India.
Officials from the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) said the project places strong emphasis on minimising environmental impact, especially in densely populated and sensitive areas.
At the AIIMS station, advanced engineering techniques have been implemented to mitigate vibrations, while on the AIIMS–Alkapuri Bus Stand section, rubber pads installed beneath concrete slabs absorb vibrations, protecting nearby buildings from structural disturbance.
To safeguard residential communities, 4-metre-high transparent acrylic barriers have been erected near Habibganj Naka, providing visual openness while effectively reducing noise transmission. Similarly, at Rani Kamlapati Railway Station and Habibganj, track-switching mechanisms have been enclosed within foam-insulated metal casings to minimise operational noise.
The MP Nagar section features vibration-reducing mats and specially designed rail clips to curb ground-level impact. In school zones, such as near Kendriya Vidyalaya, trains will automatically slow to below 60 km/h to reduce classroom disruption.
At the Subhash Nagar Depot, heavy equipment such as fans, transformers, and compressors has been enclosed in sound-controlled pack houses, ensuring overall noise levels remain below typical city background levels.
Looking ahead, MPMRCL has allocated Rs 12 million for upcoming projects in Bhopal and Indore to assess the performance of these silent metro technologies and enhance their long-term effectiveness.