FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 189 | BHOPAL | SUNDAY | DECEMBER 21, 2025 | Pages 18 ` 4 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Gill didn’t mix in ‘combination’ P.16 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL WORLD Staff recall ‘gasping for air’ moment UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Readers’ Corner Modern Life, Ancient... P.6 Cinema Saree styles that inspire P.15 CAPITAL CONNECT | City becomes 26th in country to have metro train; to be available for public from today BHOPAL FINALLY CHUGS IN METRO CM & Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar enjoy Metro ride from Subhash Nagar to AIIMS station Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL After a long wait, Bhopal city saw launch of Metro train on Saturday evening. With this, the state capital has become the 26th city in the country to have a metro. It will be available for public from Sunday onwards at reasonable rates, offering a comfortable journey and helping passengers avoid traffic congestion. Union Minister for Urban Affairs and Home, Manohar Lal Khattar and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated Bhopal Metro by flagging it off at Subhash Nagar station. They also enjoyed a ride from Subhash Nagar to AIIMS station. The distance between the eight Metro stations of the priority corridor is around seven kms. On reaching AIIMS station, CM Mohan Yadav told media that wherever a Metro train starts, development receives wings. He described Metro as a big gift in terms of urban transport and said Bhopal city looks beautiful from the Metro. Turning to Khattar, he highlighted the Union Minister's assurance to resolve issues faced by underground Metro in Indore and provide necessary financial assistance. Khattar told media that Bhopal, as heart of India and Raja Bhoj's city, has gained pride with Metro launch. He said that cities with Metro trains gain an edge over others, and citizens feel elevated. The Metro saves time and money for passengers, provides a comfortable journey and reduces pollution. Bhopal is now the 26th city in India to start Metro services. The seven km Metro line is operational, and both lines covering 30 km are expected to be ready in the next two years. Speaking about Delhi Metro and other projects, he said that after China, India will be the second country in world to have such a vast Metro network. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief minister Mohan Yadav, UAD minister Kailash Vijayavargiya, Sport minister Vishvas Sarang, Bhopal Mayor Malti Rai enjoy Metro ride on Saturday 10TH EDITION OF SWACHH Bhopal metropolitan area to be 12,099 sq km SURVEKSHAN 2025-26 LAUNCHED Six districts, 12 municipal areas, and 30 Tehsils will be included Bhopal to compete with Indore in Super Swachh League Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday launched the 10th edition of Swachh Survekshan 2025–26 at the Regional Meeting of Urban Development Ministers of Northern and Central States, held at Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Center in Bhopal. The edition brings major reforms to strengthen citizen participation, improve sanitation outcomes and recognise consistent performers. A key highlight for Madhya Pradesh is Bhopal’s first-ever entry into the Super Swachh League, where it will compete with India’s top-ranked clean city, Indore. The Super Swachh League (Million Plus Cities) has been expanded in this edition. Ahmedabad, Bhopal and Lucknow have been added to the existing list of Indore, Navi Mumbai, Surat and Vijayawada, highlighting sustained excellence in urban cleanliness. NAGAON/ GUWAHATI Train mows down 7 jumbos Seven elephants were killed, and one was injured after a herd of jumbos was hit by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam's Hojai district early Saturday, officials said. Five coaches and the train's engine also derailed, they said. Citizen voices matter The 10th edition significantly enhances citizens’ role in assessment. Public feedback will now be collected round the year through digital platforms such as Vote For My City app, MyGov app, Swachhata app, and QR codes. Weightage of citizen feedback in city rankings has been increased from around 32% to 35%, making public participation a decisive factor in determining city performance. Tailored urban assessment Survey framework has been widened to address diverse urban challenges. Ganga towns have been expanded to River towns, while a separate evaluation matrix has been introduced for coastal cities. New indicators include prevention of open defecation and open urination, special focus on tourist, heritage, religious and high-footfall areas, and behaviour change pro- grammes in schools to promote cleanliness awareness among students. Swachh Shehar Jodi To encourage peer learning and replication of best practices, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched Swachh Shehar Jodi (SSJ) under SBM– Urban. Introduced in September 2025, the initiative includes 72 mentor cities and 200 mentee cities. A new award category will recognise topperforming Swachh Shehar Jodis based on their average performance across population categories. Assessment timeline Under Swachh Survekshan 2025–26, all urban local bodies formed on or before December 31, 2024, will be assessed. Cities will be ranked under five population-based categories: Very Small, Small, Medium, Big and Million Plus. Field assessments are expected to begin between midFebruary and March 2026. PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked the Congress for "neglecting" Assam and the northeast during its rule, and asserted that the BJP government was correcting "mistakes" the grand old party kept making in the region for decades. Addressing a rally after inaugurating a new terminal of the Guwahati airport, Modi alleged that the development of Assam and the northeast was never a part of the Congress agenda. "The Congress gave protection to infiltrators who grabbed forests and land, BHOPAL The city’s metropolitan area was announced after the inauguration of metro rail on Saturday. The Bhopal Metropolitan area (BMR) will be 12,099 square kilometres, which include six districts, 12 urban areas, 30 Tehsils, and 2,524 villages. The areas of Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Narmadapuram, Rajgarh and Sehore have Newborn dies, 3 critical after vaccination Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL/DATIA threatening the security and identity of Assam... The BJP governemnt has been correcting mistakes the Congress kept making for decades in the northeast," the PM asserted. Modi said the Election Commission started the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to ensure infiltrators are kept out of the poll process, "but 'deshdrohis' (traitors) were trying to protect them". A 55-day-old baby died after vaccination while three other newborns remain critical in Kakrua village, Datia district. District administration has ordered an inquiry and sent viscera for testing. Considering seriousness of the matter, Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhede said the incident will be thoroughly investigated, and anyone found guilty will not be spared. Administration has sought a detailed report from the health department, and the body of the deceased child has been sent for post-mortem. Actual cause of death will be known after postmortem report is received. District Immunisation Officer Dr DK Soni told Free Press, “Child was 55 days old and received five vaccines as per schedule on Friday. After death, due to panic in village, three other kids were kept under observation, but later discharged. Viscera has been sent for testing. Since April, around 10,400 doses have been administered in the district and all were safe. According to vaccination schedule, newborns receive doses at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 14 weeks, and this was followed in the district.” 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 ‘Deshdrohis trying to protect infiltrators’ GUWAHATI Our Staff Reporter PRIDE OF UJJAIN AWARD Winners pose with Director-in-Charge, Free Press, Pravin Nagar, Executive Director, MPIDC, Rajesh Rathod, Social Worker Nandlal Yadav, Mayor Mukesh Tatwal, SVV V-C Prof Arpan Bhardwaj, Pt Pramod Sharma 'Guruji' and Business Head, Omaxe, Yogesh Goyal at a ceremony organised in Hotel Ashray in Ujjain on Saturday been included in the BMR. Mandideep, Sehore, Ashta agro processing, and Mohasa industrial areas have been included in it. Besides, the IT Park in Bhopal and Govindpura will be part of the metropolitan area. The borders of the Bhopal metropolitan and Indore metropolitan area, will be connected with the BhopalKanpur economic corridor. 4Continued on | P8 MP’s devpt speed has doubled: PM During the inauguration programme at Kushabhau hakre Convention Centre, a message from PM Narendra Modi was played. PM said that after the arrival of double-engine government, development speed in MP has doubled. The state benefitted from infrastructure growth. By 2014, Metro trains operated in only four cities. Now, there is more than 1000 km of Metro track across more than a dozen cities, making it the third-largest country in the world in terms of Metro network. With the launch of 7-km Metro in Bhopal, a new dimension has been added to city's development. Khattar okays underground Metro at Indore CM Mohan Yadav said Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has provided consent for an underground Metro in Indore and sanctioned the railway line between Indore and Manmad. Madhya Pradesh will benefit from this, with Rs 18,500 crore allocated for the project. He said that UjjainJawra Greenfield Highway and Agra-Gwalior High-Speed Corridor projects will also benefit the state. The announcements were made during the inauguration programme of Bhopal Metro at Kushabhau Thakre Convention Centre on Saturday.