Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) is also planning to begin construction of Kanpur Metro by early next year. LMRC, which is coordinator of Kanpur Metro’s DPR has sought initial funding from the state government to begin documentation and floating of its tenders this year.
According to media reports, an LMRC’s senior official said, “We have tried to convince the government to give us some initial funds to begin the tendering of its works this year so that we are able to begin construction by early next year. We have sought around Rs 25-30 crore as the initial fund to start the process.” The project’s DPR has already been approved by the state government and will now be sent for Centre’s approval.
LMRC said that the government may extend bigger allocations later in 2018 but to start the project, they need funds. Currently, LMRC has hired a contractor to do earth-filling of the depot and construct boundary walls around it. The DPR suggests main corridor of about 26 km length from IIT Kalyanpur- Rawatpur, Mall Road, Phoolbagh to Naubasta. The second route from GSVM government medical college – via Govind Nagar Road- Fazalganj Chouraha to Vijay Nagar crossing up to Bara sector 8 will be 10 km long.
Officials said that more than half of the metro corridor will run underground in Kanpur because of the narrow lanes. The cost of construction per km is estimated at about Rs 350 crore.
