Lucknow Metro Phase 1B survey tender floated for expansion
The long-awaited expansion of Lucknow Metro took a tangible step forward this week with tenders floated for topographical surveys of the new Charbagh–Vasant Kunj corridor. The move signals the start of groundwork for Phase 1B of the project, approved last month, which will extend the city’s metro network by 11 kilometres and add 12 new stations.
According to officials from the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC), the survey contract covers mapping of land features, elevations and alignment design along the proposed route and depot at Hardoi Road. The work is estimated at Rs 17.55 lakh and will run for a year, providing the technical foundation for alignment and engineering designs.The tender stipulates participation only from Indian firms, with priority given to suppliers meeting the government’s “Make in India” norms. This ensures over 50 per cent local value addition in the project, reinforcing both domestic industry and the state’s transport ambitions. Submissions close on September 24, with technical opening scheduled for the following day.
The east–west corridor will run underground for about seven kilometres between Charbagh and Chowk, before rising to elevated tracks until Vasant Kunj and the depot. Stations along the underground stretch will cover Gautam Buddha Marg, Aminabad, Pandeyganj, City Railway Station, Medical Chauraha and Chowk. The elevated portion will include Thakurganj, Balaganj, Sarfarazganj and Musabagh.Officials highlighted that the route is strategically designed to connect commercial zones such as Aminabad and Yahiyaganj, while also linking the King George’s Medical University and iconic heritage sites including Bara Imambara, Chota Imambara, Rumi Darwaza and the Clock Tower. This integration is expected to ease congestion in older parts of the city and provide seamless access to cultural landmarks.
Since its launch in 2017, the Lucknow Metro has operated a 23-kilometre north–south corridor from CCS Airport to Munshipulia, carrying nearly 80,000 passengers daily. With the new corridor, projected at a cost of around Rs 6,000 crore, ridership is expected to more than double to two lakh passengers per day once completed in five years.Transport experts believe the extension will be transformative for urban mobility in Lucknow, reducing reliance on private vehicles and cutting down carbon emissions. They stress that metro corridors, when integrated with feeder buses and non-motorised transport, can play a central role in building sustainable and equitable cities.
For residents, the expansion is not merely a transport upgrade but a promise of improved connectivity across business districts, hospitals, residential neighbourhoods and tourist attractions. If executed on schedule, the Charbagh–Vasant Kunj corridor will mark a milestone in reshaping Lucknow’s public transport landscape into one that is modern, inclusive and environmentally conscious.
