Dedicated parking is mandatory at every Metro Station: MP Minister

Indore, Nov 19 (LatestNewsX) Madhya Pradesh Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayavargiya on Wednesday said that there should be a dedicated parking space near every metro station so that commuters won’t hesitate to use the metro for daily travel.

The Minister made a statement during an inspection at metro stations in Indore. The inspection was carried out in the presence of the city’s Mayor Pushyamitara Bhargava, officials from the Urban Department and Indore Metro Rail Corporation (IMRC) and others.

“We are conducting inspections along with officials of the Indore Development Authority and other departments because Metro operations are about to begin. The issues that are coming up are being brought to the attention of the Metro authorities,” Vijayvargiya said, talking to media persons.

Pointing out concerns rising over the lack of parking facilities near metro stations in Indore, where the first phase of Metro Rail has already been started, Vijayvargiya said that the Metro department is facing a shortage of adequate space for developing dedicated parking lots at some stations.

“When the design for Indore Railway Metro was made, I had stressed for adequate parking space at each metro station, but when the project was completed, there was are lack of parking lots at some stations. Indore Development Authority has been directed to provide land for the same,” he added.

The trial run for the second phase of the Metro Rail in Indore was completed a couple of months ago. According to officials, a 31.32 km metro corridor has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 7,500.80 crore.

The corridor will comprise 28 stations in the city, which has a population of more than 35 lakh. The project aims to provide an easier, faster, and environmentally friendly public transport.

The first phase of Metro Rail service from Gandhi Nagar and Radisson Square stations was virtually flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 31 to mark the 300th birth anniversary of Holkar dynasty ruler Devi Ahilyabai.

The first phase of Rail Metro in the state capital, Bhopal, has also been completed, and trial runs are being conducted.

Officials said that Bhopal Metro is now a step closer to opening its doors to passengers, with officials expecting to receive the crucial No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) within the next one to two weeks.

Once the clearance is issued, the Metro Rail Corporation will formally notify the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Madhya Pradesh government that the system is ready for commercial operations.

pd/dan