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Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited has introduced a non-fare revenue initiative allowing metro coaches and station premises in Bhopal and Indore to be rented for birthday parties, pre-wedding shoots, film productions and social events. The programme, titled “Celebrations on Wheels”, comes as metro operations in both cities continue to witness lower-than-expected ridership levels following phased launches of services. Under the initiative, stationary metro coaches can be booked at INR 5,000 per hour, while moving coaches are available at INR 7,000 per hour, subject to operational and safety conditions. Officials stated that the move is aimed at generating additional revenue, improving public engagement with metro systems and utilising urban transport infrastructure beyond conventional commuter services amid rising operational expenditure.
Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited has launched a new monetisation initiative under which metro coaches, trains and selected station premises in Bhopal and Indore can be rented for private events and commercial activities as the corporation looks to strengthen non-fare revenue generation. The programme, introduced in the past week under the title “Celebrations on Wheels”, permits activities including birthday celebrations, pre-wedding shoots, documentary filming, advertisement production and small social gatherings within designated metro spaces. Advertisement
Officials stated that the initiative has been developed in response to lower-than-anticipated passenger footfall across the newly operational metro systems in both cities. The corporation indicated that the programme is intended not only to generate supplementary revenue but also to familiarise more residents with metro infrastructure and encourage wider public engagement with the transport network.
Under the policy framework, an undecorated stationary metro coach can be booked for INR 5,000 per hour, while the use of a moving metro coach has been priced at INR 7,000 per hour. In addition, applicants are required to deposit a refundable security amount of INR 20,000 per coach. Authorities stated that bookings must generally be made at least 15 days in advance and are subject to operational clearance and compliance with prescribed safety guidelines.
The corporation has capped attendance for events such as birthday parties, kitty parties and pre-wedding shoots at 50 participants per booking. Additional attendees, where permitted, would be required to comply with standard passenger fare regulations applicable to metro services. Alcohol, cigarettes, fireworks and open flames including candles have been prohibited within metro premises during events as part of the safety framework established by the corporation.
According to officials, the corporation has already begun receiving multiple enquiries each day for bookings across both the Indore and Bhopal Metro systems. The first confirmed booking under the initiative involves a one-hour birthday celebration aboard the Indore Metro along the 6-km Super Priority Corridor between Gandhi Nagar Station and Super Corridor Station Number 3.
The initiative comes amid ongoing efforts by metro corporations across India to diversify revenue sources beyond passenger fares. Urban rail operators have increasingly explored station retail, property development, advertising rights and commercial leasing to offset operational expenditure and debt servicing obligations associated with large-scale metro infrastructure projects.
Officials from the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation stated that the current operational expenditure for metro systems in Bhopal and Indore significantly exceeds daily ticket revenue collections, making alternative monetisation channels increasingly important during the early operational phase of the projects.
The Indore Metro currently operates a 6-km stretch of its Yellow Line, while the Bhopal Metro has also commenced phased operations across priority sections. Both projects form part of Madhya Pradesh’s broader urban mobility infrastructure strategy aimed at reducing road congestion and improving public transport connectivity across rapidly expanding urban centres.
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