PM inaugurates Kanpur Metro, becomes its first passenger

The entire length of the Kanpur Metro rail project is 32 km and is being built at a cost of over ₹11,000 cr. Kanpur Metro is the fastest built Metro project in the country as it was completed before the deadline of 26 months, say officials

KANPUR Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first passenger of the Kanpur Metro rail after he inaugurated the completed section of the project on Tuesday. The 9-km section from IIT-Kanpur to Motijheel was completed in a record two years’ time, said officials.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveling in Kanpur Metro, in Kanpur on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

Modi, along with Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, travelled in the beautifully decorated train from IIT-Kanpur to Geeta Nagar crossing station in the city. The PM stated that the Metro train was a memorable experience for him.

“Kanpur Metro would not only address the longstanding complaint of congestion on roads but would also be immensely beneficial in urban mobility,” he said. The PM also flagged off the first Metro train ferrying 150 school children who watched him on the giant screen installed at the station and cheered for him.

The entire length of the Kanpur Metro rail project is 32 km and is being built at a cost of over ₹11,000 crore. Kanpur Metro is the fastest built Metro project in the country as it was completed before the deadline of 26 months, stated officials.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath started the construction work of the Kanpur metro project on November 15, 2019, and the trial run took place on the 9-km IIT-K to Motijheel priority corridor on November 10, 2021, in less than two years. The priority corridor has nine stations, each 80 metres long. Work on the extension of this project was going on at a rapid pace.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s office said improving urban mobility had been one of the key focus areas of the PM.

Before boarding the train, the PM inspected the Metro rail project. Managing director of UP Metro Rail Corporation Kumar Keshav briefed him about the various aspects of operations in Kanpur.