Lucknow to have metro soon

After Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Banaglore, Chennai and Kolkata now it’s the turn of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, to have metro train. Lucknow’s population has been rapidly growing over the past few years because of the migration of population from sub-urban areas. Presently the population of Lucknow is over 5 million. The Uttar Pradesh government after much deliberation has now given the final approval to metro train’s mega project.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav recently had a meeting with the Japan International Co-operation Agency’s India chief Shinya Ejima and Deputy Chief Representative Ichiguchi Tomohide where they discussed the implementation of the project.
The agency has a rich experience in executing metro projects in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Banaglore, Chennai and Kolkata. Sources said the World Bank Association and the JICA has expressed willingness to bankroll the project.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Javed Usmani told Arab News the Cabinet has approved the 23-km long first phase from Chaudhari Charan Singh International Airport to Munshi Pulia. It would be built at a cost of between Rs. 70 to Rs. 80 billion. The work is expected to start by the end of this year and will be completed in three to four years.
He said the state government has send a formal proposal to the Centre to include Lucknow Metro in ‘The Metro Railways (Construction of Work) and Metro Railway (Operation and Maintenance) Acts’ a prerequisite for the work to begin. Out of three phases the project for the first phase will only get implemented after the Central government gives its nod to the state proposal to provide it the necessary statutory backing.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has drafted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) revised its blueprint by reducing the length of the underground track from seven to three kilometers, bringing down the cost of the proposal corridor by Rs. 10 billion. The total cost of Rs.150 billion is to be provided on a 50-50 basis by the Centre and the state government. Both the partners would contribute 20 percent each as equity while the balance will be raised through loan. A sub-committee constituted by the state government under Secretary Housing Rajiv Agarwal will suggest measures for raising funds.