Indore fully included, 59% of Ujjain under metro plan:Project to cover over 75 lakh population across 6 districts

The proposed Ujjain-Indore Metropolitan Region (UIMR), formerly known as the Indore Metropolitan Area, is expected to be notified soon by the Urban Administration Department. According to the proposal submitted to the department, the metropolitan region will be planned for a population of 75.34 lakh spread across six districts of Madhya Pradesh. Under the proposed framework, 100% of Indore district, 59% of Ujjain, 41% of Dewas, 18% of Dhar, 90% of Shajapur, and 22% of Ratlam will be included in the metropolitan region. Although the six districts together cover 33,462.83 sq km, only 16,000.87 sq km—about 48% of the total area—has been proposed for inclusion in the UIMR. 38 Tehsils and 2,781 villages to fall under UIMR Sources in the Urban Administration Department said the proposed metropolitan region will encompass 38 tehsils and 2,781 villages. According to the report, the district-wise share of area within the UIMR is: Officials of the Indore Development Authority (IDA) said the report has been received and, after review, a consultant firm will undertake a detailed situation analysis for the region. Industrial corridors expected to drive growth The report highlights strong development potential in the region, particularly due to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), which is expected to accelerate growth in the northern and western parts of Indore. Indore has already emerged as a major investment destination because of industrial corridors such as Pithampur-Dhar-Mhow and Dewas-Shajapur. Policies promoting industrial expansion have also led to rapid development in the city’s peripheral areas. The report stressed the need to integrate existing and proposed development plans to ensure balanced regional growth. Land use conflicts emerging as a major challenge Rapid urban expansion is increasing conflicts between agricultural land and urban development. The report notes that ensuring compatible land use and adequate infrastructure services is becoming increasingly challenging. It recommends adopting a sustainable development approach aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to maintain environmental balance alongside economic growth. Built-up area has expanded sevenfold since 2000 Indore and its surrounding region have witnessed rapid urbanization over the past two decades. Between 2001 and 2011, Indore city’s population growth rate was about 32%, while growth in the surrounding peripheral areas exceeded 50%. The report points out that: Officials believe the UIMR framework will help create a coordinated planning mechanism to manage future growth across the six districts.