- MPMRCL launched Celebration on Wheels to boost revenue on Bhopal and Indore Metros
- Metro coaches and stations can be booked for events at Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 per hour
- Bhopal Metro struggles with low ridership, under 200 passengers on regular days
The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) has launched "Celebration on Wheels" for the Bhopal and Indore Metro networks, a new programme aimed at boosting revenues amid scarce footfall in both routes.
Under the programme, individuals, production houses, institutions and corporate groups can book metro coaches and designated station areas for celebrations and creative shoots. The charges will range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 per hour, depending on whether the coach is stationary or moving.
Bookings must be made at least 15 days in advance, and all activities will have to follow strict timing, security and operational guidelines. Alcohol, bidis, cigarettes and firecrackers are strictly prohibited. Security checks will be carried out at the station before participants are allowed to board the metro.
However, the new programme comes on the backdrop of a serious operational challenge, with metro services in Bhopal and Indore struggling with poor passenger turnout. In Bhopal, barring weekends, fewer than 200 passengers reportedly use the Metro in a day. Officials say the number rises above 500 on weekends, but on regular days, trains often run nearly empty.
While the government is reportedly spending nearly Rs 8 lakh per day on Metro operations, security and administrative arrangements, the daily revenue is not even touching Rs 10,000.
Speaking about the new programme, MPMRCL Managing Director S Krishna Chaitanya said it has been designed keeping in mind the changing lifestyles, vibrant culture and evolving urban landscape of Bhopal and Indore.
"The 'Celebration on Wheels' initiative has been designed with careful consideration of the vibrant culture, rapidly evolving urban landscape and changing lifestyles of the citizens of Bhopal and Indore. This initiative represents an effort to bring the Metro closer to the general public, enabling people to celebrate their special occasions within a safe and modern environment like the Metro," he said.
Under the scheme, film shoots, web series, documentaries, advertisements, birthday parties, kitty parties, pre-wedding shoots, photoshoots and other creative activities will be allowed.
For an undecorated stationary Metro coach, the tariff has been fixed at Rs 5,000 per hour. For an undecorated moving Metro coach, the charge will be Rs 7,000 per hour.
For birthday parties, pre-wedding events and kitty parties, a maximum of 50 participants will be allowed. If the number exceeds this limit, standard Metro fare rules and additional charges will apply. A refundable security deposit of Rs 20,000 per coach will also have to be paid.
Bookings will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Bhopal Metro had seen public enthusiasm on the first day of commercial operations. On December 21, the passenger count touched 6,568. But the numbers began falling soon after. For the first two weeks, ridership hovered around the 1,000 mark, before dropping further.
As passenger numbers declined, Metro management reduced trips and changed timings. Earlier, there were 17 trips in each direction. This was brought down to 13. The starting time was also shifted from 9 am to 12 noon. But neither passenger footfall nor revenue saw a major improvement.
The Bhopal Metro project itself has had a long and delayed journey. It was first announced in 2009. The Detailed Project Report was finalised in March 2016. The first work order was issued in 2018. The Bhopal and Indore Metro projects received Central Government approval in October 2018, just before the Assembly elections that year.
At that time, it was expected that people would be able to ride the Metro by 2022. However, Bhopal Metro was inaugurated only on December 20, 2025, by Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Commercial operations began the next day.
In Indore, Metro services had already started running on tracks from May 31, 2025.
In Bhopal, the first route from AIIMS to Karond is planned to cover 16.05 km, but trains are currently operating only on the 6.22-km Priority Corridor between AIIMS and Subhash Nagar. The overall Bhopal Metro project is planned over 30.95 kilometres, with two lines, one depot and 30 stations 16 on the Orange Line and 14 on the Blue Line.
