Bhopal Metro adjusts schedule for faster tunnelling and upgrades

Bhopal's Metro system has adjusted its train schedule to speed up ongoing work. The changes come as tunnelling operations prepare to begin with the launch of a new boring machine. Officials expect the project to take months, with further construction extending into next year. Starting Friday, 3 April, Metro trains will run from 11 am to 4.30 pm instead of the current 12 noon to 7.30 pm. The revised timetable aims to help workers complete the remaining signalling upgrades more quickly. Services continue to operate between Subash Nagar and AIIMS, covering eight stations along the route.

The first tunnel boring machine (TBM), named *Durgawati*, will start digging within two to three days. Though capable of excavating 14 metres daily, progress may slow to five to seven metres per day due to Bhopal's rocky terrain. Tunnelling alone is expected to take at least two months before construction begins. A second TBM, *Ahilyabai*, will join the effort once the first machine completes 50 metres of tunnel. After tunnelling finishes, the construction phase could last another one and a half years.

The adjusted Metro timetable will remain in place while signalling work continues. Tunnelling and construction will stretch over the coming months, with the full project timeline extending well into next year. Officials have not confirmed details about potential future connections, such as a proposed link between Old Railway Station and Pul Patra.