GOOD news for daily commuters, the evening rush in Bhopal is about to get faster. The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) will introduce an enhanced timetable for the Orange Line from Tuesday, offering trains every 15 minutes during peak hours. As per the new schedule effective from September 15, Metro services on weekdays will commence at 9 am. Trains will operate at a frequency of 15 minutes during peak periods, 9 am to 10:30 am and 5:30 pm to 7 pm. During non-peak hours, from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, services will run every 30 minutes. For Sundays and public holidays, a special extended schedule has been announced. Trains will run every 15 minutes throughout the day, with the last departure from Subhash Nagar to AIIMS at 7:30 pm and the final service from AIIMS to Subhash Nagar at 8 pm. The enhancement follows the commissioning of the advanced signalling system and the transition to full dual-track, bi-directional operations on the 7-km priority corridor between Subhash Nagar depot and AIIMS, which comprises eight stations.

 

The system received clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) on July 25, improving safety, punctuality and efficiency. The move corrects an earlier restricted midday timetable, which had started services at noon with a 75- minute frequency and had caused ridership to plummet to just 434 passengers a day. With the new 15-minute peak frequency, MPMRCL has reported a five-fold surge in ridership. Daily passenger numbers have now crossed the 1,000-mark, with AIIMS Bhopal and Board Office emerging as the busiest stations. To encourage digital travel, MPMRCL is also offering a 5% discount on return journey tickets, 10% off on group tickets, and up to 15% bonus on e-wallet recharges made through its mobile app. Passengers are advised to check the first and last train timings on station displays before planning their travel.