Bhopal, May 31 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated three significant transportation projects; including the Indore Metro Rail, along with the Satna and Datia airport projects, during his visit to Bhopal.

PM Modi participated in the celebrations commemorating the 300th birth anniversary of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, the distinguished ruler of Malwa.

The Indore Metro Rail project, the first of its kind in Madhya Pradesh, marks a transformative step in urban transportation.

The Datia airport, for which the foundation stone was laid in 2012 with an initial investment of Rs 21.18 crore, was completed in 2015. It was upgraded into a full-fledged airport in 2023 and became ready for operations by 2024.

The metro network spans 31.3 kilometres, with an initial six-kilometre stretch inaugurated by PM Modi on Saturday.

The first phase includes five stations at Gandhinagar and various points along the Super Corridor. The metro’s rolling stock features stainless steel coaches designed with a white and yellow aesthetic, ensuring rust resistance and durability.

A total of 75 coaches are planned for Indore, with 13 three-coach trains already delivered. Each train, measuring 67 meters in length, features advanced safety systems, emergency buttons, intercoms, digital route maps, and LED TVs for passenger information and entertainment.

An audio announcement system is integrated to assist visually impaired commuters.

Indore’s transportation evolution traces back more than a century. The Holkar rulers initiated the construction of a rail line to Khandwa in 1870, completed within five years, with operations commencing in 1876.

The first long-distance train service between Indore and Bhopal started in May 1956, and today, approximately 100 trains operate daily from Indore’s six platforms.

The metro now joins the city’s diverse transit history, which has included various forms of transportation ranging from elephants and horses to bullock carts, tongas, tempos, and bicycles.

The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited has introduced a third-rail system as an alternative to traditional overhead power lines.

Originally limited to accommodating small planes, the Datia airport underwent a significant expansion with an additional Rs 70 crore investment, enabling ATR and 72-seater aircraft to land on its 1810-meter-long runway, spread over 118 acres.

With its inauguration, direct flight services will commence between Khajuraho and Bhopal. Similarly, the Satna airport, developed with an investment of Rs 30 crore, traces its origins to an airstrip built during World War II.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation granted it a license in 2024 for operations involving 19-seater aircraft. Now capable of handling two aircraft at a time, it boasts a 1200-meter-long runway.

PM Modi also laid the foundation for an ambitious Rs 778 crore project for the construction of ghats along the River Kshipra and transferred the first instalment for the development of 1,271 new Atal panchayat bhavans, a project totalling Rs 483 crore.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav highlighted the historical significance of the day, recalling the Holkar rulers’ pioneering efforts in rail infrastructure.

Over 150 years after Indore’s first railway line to Khandwa was initiated at a cost of Rs 1 crore, a new Rs 7,500 crore metro rail initiative is now set to provide seamless urban mobility.

PM Modi received an enthusiastic welcome in Bhopal, greeted by a vast gathering of women waving the Tricolour.

Riding in an open jeep, he acknowledged the warmth of the people, accompanied by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and BJP state unit chief VD Sharma.

As part of traditional hospitality, he was welcomed with a ‘Sindoor’ plant.

–IANS

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