Both the UP Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) are gearing up to launch fully operational Metro corridors in Kanpur and Meerut by 2024-25.
The North-South corridor, spanning 23.8 km and connecting 21 stations from IIT Kanpur to Naubasta, is anticipated to serve approximately 1.5 lakh commuters daily. Simultaneously, the 23 km North-South corridor from Modipuram to Meerut South in Meerut district is expected to witness footfall ranging from 70,000 to one lakh. The Meerut Metro, operating along RapidX on the same track, is slated for completion by June 2025, with NCRTC aiming to finish the project by March 2025.
The Meerut Metro will encompass 13 stations, including Meerut South, Partapur, Rithani, Shatabdi Nagar, Brahmpuri, Meerut Central, Bhainsali, Begumpul, MES Colony, Daurli, Meerut North, Modipuram, and Modipuram Depot. While Meerut Central, Bhainsali, and Begumpul stations will be underground, the remaining stations will be elevated. Stations such as Meerut South, Shatabdi Nagar, Begumpul, and Modipuram will feature RapidX services, accommodating the Namo Bharat train. For the 13 Metro service stations, NCRTC will introduce separate Metro trains, ensuring synchronisation with Namo Bharat train halts after every two Metro trains, as explained by Punnet Vats, CPRO of NCRTC.
State Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna announced that the Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 9.14 billion for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). Additionally, Rs 3.95 billion has been earmarked for the Kanpur Metro. The UPMRC PRO shared with TOI that the first corridor of the Kanpur Metro is expected to be commissioned by November 2024, featuring 14 elevated stations and seven underground stations. Once fully operational, the Kanpur Metro is poised to revolutionise urban transportation in the city, offering commuters a modern, efficient, and comfortable mode of travel, according to the UPMRC official.
