The expansion of the Indore Metro has opened a new chapter in the city’s development and will give a major boost to public transport, state Chief Minister (CM) Dr Mohan Yadav said on Saturday as he inaugurated the latest phase of the project.

The 17-km corridor, comprising 16 stations, has been developed by the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited at a cost of ₹2,850 crore. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal attended the inauguration as the special guest.

CM Dr Yadav said the metro expansion was not merely an extension of transport infrastructure but an important step towards transforming Indore’s connectivity and driving development across the wider Malwa region.

“The metro network will gradually be extended to connect Indore with Ujjain, Pithampur and other surrounding areas,” he said.

Focus on wider connectivity

The Chief Minister said the new phase would take the metro into the inner parts of the city following the positive response to its initial stretch. The expansion is expected to continue in the coming years, with plans to integrate Indore with important economic, industrial and urban centres.

CM Dr Yadav also highlighted the ₹18,500-crore Indore-Manmad railway project, describing its approval as another major development for the region. Once completed, the project will provide direct rail connectivity between Indore and Mumbai via Manmad, reducing the need to travel through Gujarat.

He said improved rail links between Guna, Ujjain, Indore and Manmad, coupled with the proposed extension of the metro to Ujjain, would significantly strengthen regional connectivity.

Metro to drive urban growth

Manohar Lal described the inauguration of the new 11-km metro corridor as a milestone for Indore. He said the earlier approximately 6-km stretch largely served the city’s outskirts, while the new extension would connect major parts of Indore.

The Union minister said the metro would offer students, employees, traders and other residents safe, convenient and time-bound public transport while reducing commuting time.

He added that metro systems were not merely modes of transportation but important drivers of urban development, industry and trade.

Lal said India’s metro network had expanded from 245 km across five cities in 2014 to around 1,170 km across 26 cities today. He said the rapid expansion would help India build the infrastructure needed to achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Expansion planned towards Ujjain, Pithampur

Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said the Indore Metro was conceived to improve intra-city transport, decentralise urban growth and accelerate the city’s expansion.

He said the network would eventually extend towards Pithampur, Mhow, Dewas-Maksi and Ujjain. Metro construction in the Indore region, he added, could continue for the next 10 to 15 years.

Vijayvargiya said underground construction would be undertaken along key stretches where elevated metro pillars could affect the city’s aesthetic appeal, including major roads such as MG Road.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior ministers, elected representatives and officials. The guests formally inaugurated the metro by pressing a button, marking the beginning of the new phase.