Bhopal, Dec 8 (IANS) The much-awaited first phase of the Bhopal Metro Rail service will be made operational on December 21, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Monday in a press conference in Khajuraho.

With this significant development, Bhopal will become the second city in the state to run Metro rail service to provide a new and safe journey for the people.

The metro rail service in Indore was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 31 this year.

“The BJP government is working making all possible efforts to make Madhya Pradesh a developed state, in this direction, Bhopal Metro Rail will be made operational from December 21. On that day, many other projects will also be announced,” CM Yadav said.

The announcement came days after the Bhopal Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), Nilabhra Sengupta, carried out the final inspection of the Bhopal Rail Metro and gave its mandatory clearance before passenger services can begin.

Officials from the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) have confirmed that the necessary approvals have been obtained.

The 6.22-km-long first phase of the Bhopal Metro to be inaugurated will cover eight stations — Subhash Nagar, Kendriya Vidyalaya, DB Mall, MP Nagar, Rani Kamlapati Railway Station, DRM office, Alkapuri and AIIMS Bhopal.

While the construction for the second phase of the Metro in both Bhopal and Indore are underway.

A senior official associated with MPMRCL has earlier said that immediately after the inauguration, passenger services would begin the same day, with a week-long period of free travel to follow.

Once the free travel window closes, fares will remain affordable, starting at Rs 10 for short trips and Rs 20 for journeys of about eight kilometres.

In the initial stage, trains will operate between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., with one train every half an hour.

–IANS

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