Indore, May 30 (IANS) Calling it the beginning of “new era” for Indore, Madhya Pradesh Urban Development Minister and senior BJP leader, Kailash Vijayvargiya, said on Friday that the state’s economic capital is set to witness a much needed and a new mode of transportation with metro rail services will be made operational from Saturday.

Vijayvargiya (69), who was born and brought up in Indore, and at present is a Cabinet Minister in the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government, has said that he has seen transforming the city’s mode of transportation from tempo to metro.

Earlier in the evening, when he undertook the last leg of the inspection of the Metro ride along with the Union Minister of State for House and Urban Affairs, Tokha Sahu, Minister Vijayvargiya was excited to express his feelings and memories of his life from his home district for the last six decades.

“I am very happy that our Indore has completed the journey from tempo to metro. We have also sat (travelled) in tempo and today we are sitting in metro,” Minister Vijayvargiya said, adding that, “these are historic and proud moments for the entire Madhya Pradesh”.

This is the first time when Metro rail will start not just in Indore but in Madhya Pradesh, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate to make it operational during his visit to Bhopal to participate in an event on the occasion of the 300th birth anniversary of legendary queen Ahilyabai Holkar on Saturday.

Once the services made operational from Saturday, citizens of Indore can travel in Metro for free for the first week.

All they have to do is to scan QR code at the metro station and board the train.

To encourage the people to keep commuting through this mode of transportation, the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) will launch a promotional discount scheme for the first three months.

While the travel in first week will be free, in the second week there will be 75 per cent discount, followed by 50 per cent in the third week, and a 25 per cent discount up to the third month.

The fare for five-station stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 will range from Rs 20 to Rs 30, according to information shared by Madhya Pradesh government.

–IANS

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