Lucknow Metro: Key Facts
Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, has a population of over 3 million people. With an increasing number of people and vehicles on the roads, the need for a mass rapid transit system was imminent. This need was fulfilled by the Lucknow Metro, a modern transport system that provides a safe, efficient, and eco-friendly mode of transportation to the people of the city.
Construction and Design of the Lucknow Metro
The Lucknow Metro project was initiated in 2008 when the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) submitted a concept paper to the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The construction of the metro began on 27 September 2014, with the 8.5 km stretch from Transport Nagar to Charbagh Railway Station. The full operation on the Red Line stretch from CCS International Airport to Munshi Pulia began on 9 March 2019.
The initial design of the metro project included one north-south and one east-west corridor, with links through Gomti Nagar. The design of the east-west corridor was changed in 2010 to start from Vasant Kunj and terminate at Charbagh. The design of the north–south corridor had two elevated sections, with a total distance of 19 km (12 mi), separated by a 3 km tunnel (1.9 mi). The metro trains were to be housed in one of two depots, a 20 hectares (49 acres) depot at Vasant Kunj and another at the airport, but due to security concerns, the airport depot was removed from the plan.
In 2013, the two-corridor design was scrapped and replaced with one featuring a denser network of connectivity. The increased coverage of the metro raised the cost of the project but reduced the operating cost per km. The underground design also raised concerns about safety as well as increased energy consumption.
Features of the Lucknow Metro
The Lucknow Metro is owned and operated by the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC). The metro could accommodate speeds up to 90 km/h (56 mph), but the typical usage would be at speeds of 34 km/h (21 mph) for the north–south corridor and 32 km/h (20 mph) for the east–west corridor. The project is the most expensive transport system in Uttar Pradesh to date, with an estimated total cost for Phase 1A (Red Line) and 1B (Blue Line) of about $2 billion.
The Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956, on 25 November 2013. The Union Cabinet approved the construction of Rail Project Phase – 1A on 22 December 2015. On 1 December 2016, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh flagged off the train at the Transport Nagar depot on a trial run on the priority section till the Alambagh. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) performed an on-site inspection to confirm the readiness of the Metro for service on 27–28 July 2017. The Lucknow Metro’s Red Line was inaugurated for service between Transport Nagar and Lucknow Charbagh on 5 September 2017. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the full stretch of Red Line of Lucknow Metro on 8 March 2019.
