The Indore Metro Rail project has received a green signal from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), clearing the way for the start of commercial operations.

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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