Nearly two months since the much-hyped priority corridor trial run of the Bhopal metro, which was seen as a major achievement for the infrastructure project leading up to state elections, the Bhopal metro rail is making strides toward completing the next big highlight of the project ? the railway-over-bridge (RoB) that will connect to AIIMS Bhopal.
According to sources at the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL), steel girders and other support structures are now in place. Furthermore, with passenger travel scheduled for mid-2024, automatic fare collection systems and other related infrastructure are taking shape too.
It is expected that the girder launches of the RoB will take place in the next four weeks, with the elevated section on the side connecting to AIIMS Bhopal to be completed after the metro rail tracks are laid.
?First a temporary launching pad will be constructed and then a permanent one,? said an official. The timing of the launch is contingent on Indian Railways, as the railway line serves as the primary connection between north and southbound trains.
The connection to AIIMS Bhopal will mark the completion of the original plan for the priority corridor, spanning around 6.2 km. This segment is part of Line 2 (orange line) of the Bhopal metro, and upon completion, it will extend for about 15 km, linking Karond to AIIMS Bhopal.