Uttar Pradesh has announced its most ambitious urban mobility programme to date, mapping out a 1,575-kilometre metro network across both major and smaller cities. The blueprint was revealed at the Uttar Pradesh for Vikasit Bharat @ 2047 workshop, signalling the state’s long-term plan to deliver modern, low-emission mobility at scale while improving liveability across rapidly urbanising districts.
Officials from the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) confirmed that the next phase of metro development will dramatically extend existing systems and introduce new ones to previously underserved cities. Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra currently operating functional metro corridors re slated for large-scale expansion, adding 225 km, 200 km and 100 km respectively by 2047. According to senior officials, this alone will require investments of roughly ₹1,040 crore annually, with both the Centre and state contributing equally to project equity and international agencies financing the remainder through loans.
A second phase will target cities poised for demographic and economic growth. Noida, Greater Noida, Varanasi and Prayagraj are each expected to receive around 150 km of metro corridors, while Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Meerut, Jhansi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Vrindavan, Aligarh and Saharanpur have been earmarked for 50 km networks. Around 790 km of the overall network is scheduled for completion by 2035, with the remainder extending up to 2047. Industry experts view the move as a decisive shift toward high-capacity public transport in regions that have historically depended on private vehicles and informal transit. “If executed with strong feeder connectivity and urban planning alignment, the metro can reduce congestion and pollution while making smaller cities more competitive and socially inclusive,” an urban mobility researcher said. UPMRC claims that its existing systems are already financially viable, citing high operational efficiency and revenue performance across Tier-2 cities. With metro operations currently underway in six Uttar Pradesh cities, India now holds the position of the world’s third largest metro network and is projected to surpass the United States in scale over the coming years.
Last-mile integration remains a core focus to ensure metro accessibility for all commuters. Partnerships have been signed with ride-hailing platforms and parking facilities are being expanded across stations. Urban planners suggest that agreements should further prioritise safe walking spaces, cycling infrastructure, and gender-responsive public transport planning to ensure the system supports equitable mobility. If sustained, Uttar Pradesh’s metro expansion could reshape how smaller and medium-sized Indian cities grow shifting development away from car centred patterns and towards cleaner, safer and more connected urban environments.
Lucknow And Kanpur To Get Bigger Metro Grids
