The Gwalior Metro is a proposed rapid transit system to serve Gwalior, Gwalior West and other nearby towns in Gwalior Metropolitan Region in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The project was announced by current state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on 17 October 2014. The survey has been started. It is so far the third metro system proposed in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh after Indore Metro, and Bhopal Metro.The network consists of three colour-coded regular lines proposed to serve 21 stations with a total length of 58.1 kilometres (36.1 mi). The system will have a mix of underground, at-grade, and elevated stations using standard-gauge tracks.
Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation, a company developed under the Government of Madhya Pradesh, will build and operate the Gwalior Metro.
History
The Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had demanded metro train for the Gwalior city, he had written to the present Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan. As the state government have started work of metro train in Bhopal and in Indore, the leader from Gwalior Chambal region had raised the demand to set up the metro train facility in Gwalior. In his letter he stated that the Gwalior city is facing huge traffic pressure and to reduce the pressure it needs metro train. He asked the CM to institute a team which can conduct a feasibility study to establish the metro in the city. He had also written to the district collector to forward the letter to the department.
The concept of a mass rapid transit for Gwalior first emerged from a traffic and travel characteristics study which was carried out in the city in 1992 when the satellite district of Gwalior-West was getting developed under National Capital Region to attract the population of Delhi and act as a Counter Magnet for Delhiites. Gwalior was first city out of 5 Counter Magnets selected by the government. Gwalior West lies 15 km from Gwalior and 8 km east of the Tigra Dam.
From several years, many official committees by a variety of Government departments were commissioned to examine issues related to technology, route alignment, and Governmental jurisdiction. On 17 October 2014 the project of developing a rapid transit metro rail system in Gwalior was announced by current state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
While extensive technical studies and the raising of finance for the project are in progress, the city expanded significantly resulting in a 15.2174% increase in population between 2014 and 2020. Consequently, traffic congestion and pollution soared, as an increasing number of commuters took to private vehicles as there was no proper transportation system in the city other than auto rickshaw, this merely compounded the problem with inexperienced operators plying poorly maintained, noisy and polluting buses on lengthy routes, resulting in long waiting times, unreliable service, extreme overcrowding, unqualified drivers, speeding and reckless driving which even led to road accidents. To rectify the situation, the Government of Madhya Pradesh set up a company called the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation with Shri. Ranjit Singh Deol, Indian Administrative Service as the managing director.
Network
The Gwalior Metro is being built in phases. It has been found out that it will be built in 3 Phases out of which the 1st Phase is in Planning Stage. The network consists of Three colour-coded regular lines proposed to serve 21 stations with a total length of 58.1 kilometers (36.1 mi). The system will have a mix of underground, at-grade, and elevated stations using standard-gauge tracks.