Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday accused the erstwhile BJP government of delaying the implementation of the metro rail projects in Bhopal and Indore. Kamal Nath was addressing a function after performing "Bhoomipujan" (ground-breaking) ceremony for the first phase of the Rs. 7,500-crore metro rail project in Indore, the commercial capital of the State. Chief Minister Kamal Nath laid the foundation for the metro rail project on Saturday.

READ | Kamal Nath Lays Foundation For Rs 7,500 Crore Indore Metro Rail

'BJP government delayed projects'

"When I was the Union Minister of Urban Development, I called the then Urban Administration and Development Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Babulal Gaur (now deceased), after attending a programme of Metro Rail Project in Jaipur. I told him to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for the Indore and Bhopal metro rail projects," he said.

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Kamal Nath further added that he had approved expenditure from Central funds for preparing the DPR, but it was shelved after being drafted.

"After taking oath as chief minister in December last year, I asked state urban development minister Jaivardhan Singh to talk with officials and set a deadline for the implementation if the metro rail projects," CM Nath said.

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Metro Rail network extension

The Chief Minister also said that his government will consider connecting the religious city Ujjain, industrial town Pithampur, and other nearby places in the second phase of the metro rail project. Under the metro rail project in Indore, a 31.55-km- long corridor is proposed to be built in the city. While most of the metro section will be elevated, a portion will run underground, officials said, adding that the metro rail corridor will pass through Nainod, Bhanwarsala intersection, Radisson intersection and Bengali Chauraha. A total of 29 stations would be built on this route.

The project, conceived during the tenure of erstwhile BJP government in the State and approved by the Centre in October last year, is expected to be completed by August 2023.

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Protests against Kamal Nath

Earlier on September 11, BJP carried out protests against the Kamal Nath government. The BJP cadres in the State held a 'Ghantanad' protest across the state which involves the ringing of bells to exclaim grievances. The end result of the protests was many BJP members being arrested including Rakesh Singh, the President of the BJP in MP. Rakesh Singh spoke about grievances that people face in the State. In addition, he also stated that the MP government is inefficient in meeting the demands of the common people.

Moreover, Singh attacked CM Kamal Nath over farmer loan waiver promise. Other subjects of protest included the unemployed youth across the State, without even an allowance. Additionally, Rakesh Singh also spoke about the increase in electricity rates, roads, corruption, and law and order. Earlier, Kamal Nath was also slammed by Akali Dal. The Akali Dal attacked Kamal Nath on the grounds of the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots by calling him a culprit of genocide. 

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(With PTI Inputs)