Indore: City’s Metro rail project hit a stumbling block on Wednesday as a large number of shopkeepers of Kothari Market, Khatipura and MG Road staged demonstration against train’s proposed route between Gandhi Hall and Sanjay Setu.
The shopkeepers of city’s leading commercial areas kept their shops closed to protest against proposed Metro route passing through their areas. They raised questioned over the survey done for the project.
“We don’t need Metro Rail, which will uproot our shops, businesses and jobs. Project will be of no use if it snatches away bread from thousands of people,” areas traders Manish Nigam, Narayan Arora, Vijay Grover said. They alleged that officials who carried out survey for Metro rail route didn’t inform them about the plan and only took their signature after asking few questions.
“They plan to demolish shops located between Gandhi Hall and Khatipura, which will ruin our businesses. The new alternative given to us will take many years to develop,” they added.
The shopkeepers also visited divisional commissioner’s office to express protest against the proposed route and demanded to review the plan and make changes in it.
The traders also questioned the rationale behind construction of three Metro stations between Rajwada and Bada Ganpati, which will also be developed after demolishing business establishments there.
Metro project
Metro rail’s total length is 31.55 km, which will have 29 stations. The proposed project will have 23 elevated stations and six underground stations. They will be developed between railway station and Rajwada.
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’Will have to pay price for city’s development’
Commenting on the protest by the shopkeepers of Kothari Market against construction of Metro rail line, state higher education minister Jitu Patwari said residents will have to think about how Indore will take shape after 50 years in terms of traffic and population. “We will have to pay some price for it,” he remarked.
He also added that there must be confusion among shopkeepers over underground Metro rail line from Kothari Market. “I want to ensure shopkeepers that no action will be taken without informing and talking to them,” he added.
