Construction of Lucknow Metro starts, 'to run before 2017 polls'.

The construction of the much-awaited Lucknow Metro commenced Saturday with a bhoomi pujan in the presence of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior ministers of the state government.

The first phase of construction, for which work began recently, will cover about 8 km between the 'priority section' of Transport Nagar and Charbagh, and is expected to cost about Rs. 2,000 crore.

While Larsen and Toubro has been selected for civil works, Systra, a French company, has been selected for designing metro stations and via-ducts. This priority line will have eight stations.

The priority section is a part of the 22.87-km North-South Corridor between Amausi Airport and Munshipulia, which is expected to cost Rs. 6,880 crore.

'I have full confidence in Metroman E Sreedharan (principal advisor for Lucknow Metro) and all the related departments that the metro will start running before the next Assembly elections,' the CM said after the bhoomi pujan.


THE INDIAN EXPRESS