Green Light for Lucknow Metro's ₹5,801 Crore East-West Corridor.

The Public Investment Board (PIB) has given its crucial approval to the Lucknow Metro's East-West Corridor, a significant step forward for Phase 1B of the project, which will link Charbagh to Vasant Kunj. The ambitious ₹5,801 crore project now awaits final clearance from the Union Cabinet before construction can commence.

The PIB meeting, held in Delhi during the first week of May and presided over by the Union finance secretary, followed the Uttar Pradesh government's approval of the project's Detailed Project Report (DPR) in March 2024. The Network Planning Group (NPG) in Delhi had previously granted its clearance on July 9, 2024.

The proposed East-West Corridor will stretch for 11.165 km, featuring a blend of elevated and underground sections. Specifically, 4.286 km will be elevated, while 6.879 km will be underground. The corridor will include 12 stations in total, with seven located underground and five elevated. The project is estimated to be completed within five years.

A key highlight of the new corridor is its direct connection with the existing North-South Corridor at Charbagh Metro Station, which is set to become a vital interchange point, facilitating seamless transfers for commuters traveling between the two routes.

The planned sequence of stations along the East-West Corridor includes Charbagh, Gautam Buddha Marg, Aminabad, Pandeyganj, City Railway Station, Medical Chauraha, and Chowk (all underground). The elevated stations will comprise Thakurganj, Balaganj, Sarfarazganj, Moosabagh, and Vasant Kunj.

Upon its completion, the new corridor is expected to significantly improve accessibility to densely populated areas of Old Lucknow, such as Aminabad, Chowk, and Thakurganj, while also serving the developing region of Vasant Kunj. The integration with the existing 23-kilometer North-South Corridor will expand Lucknow's metro network to an impressive 35 km.

Despite launching in 2017, the Lucknow Metro's network expansion has lagged behind other major Indian cities. Currently, Lucknow's metro network stands at 23 km, considerably less than Delhi's 435 km, Mumbai's 90 km, and Bengaluru's 77 km. Even Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, which began their metro operations around the same time, have expanded to 69 km and 59 km, respectively.

UPMRC Managing Director Sushil Kumar expressed optimism about the project, stating, "Metro's expansion will provide residents a smooth, safe, and world-class urban transit system, even in the city's most congested parts. We are confident that we will finish the project ahead of schedule."