Exclusive Interview with Shri Sushil Kumar, Managing Director, Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.

Interview Insights:

Rail Analysis: How has the post pandemic recovery been in terms of ridership and passenger travel in Lucknow metro? Are there any new measures which are adopted to ensure further safety of passengers?

Shri Sushil Kumar: India faced two stringent lockdowns in order to slow down the fast spread of Covid-19. The greatest impact of lockdowns had on service sector including public transport industry. The Metro’s in every city had to face severe setback due to stringent lockdowns but after unlock-1 and unlock-2 Lucknow Metro had fastest ridership recovery than any other metro in the country. On 21.12.2020 i.e in just 3 months of the unlock-1 Lucknow Metro ridership crossed 34,159 passengers and achieved 55% of its previous ridership. Lucknow Metro took various initiatives like Ultra-Violet (UV) sanitization, contact less travel, social distancing etc. which helped in gaining the trust of the commuter’s. After unlock-2 on 9th June 2021, Lucknow Metro crossed 65K mark i.e 90% of its ridership figure on 15th November, 2021 in just 5 months. Lucknow Metro was faster to recover its ridership figure in unlock-2 than in unlock-1 as it took 183 days to cross 47,000 ridership after Unlock-1 but it took only 160 days to reach 65000 mark.

Measures adopted by Lucknow Metro to ensure passenger’s safety-

  • Absolute Contactless travel with a GoSmart card: A GoSmart user enjoys a Total contactless travel right from entering the Metro station, boarding the train to exiting the premises. The automatic sensor of AFC gates detects the card from a distance without tapping it. So the only thing a GoSmart card user comes in contact with are the sanitized train seats
  • First Metro in India to use UV technology* for train and token sanitization ensuring full passenger safety
  • First Metro with cashless facility of multiple tokens/tickets with GoSmart card
  • Physical distancing markings & signage at all stations* to ensure adequate distance among passengers near Ticket Counters (TOMs), Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs), security check frisking point, entry-exit AFC gates, etc.
  • Frequently touched areas inside trains* like grab rails, grab poles, grab handles, passenger seats & door surfaces from inside are sanitized regularly
  • All common contact points like entry-exit gates* , baggage scanners, Ticket Vending Machines, AFC gates, escalator handrails, staircase railings, lift buttons, platform seats, etc are also sanitized regularly

 


 

Rail Analysis: Please share with the updated status of the Lucknow metro project future corridors and the projected timelines?

Shri Sushil Kumar: UPMRC has revised the DPR of the East-West Corridor of Lucknow Metro Project i.e. proposed between Charbagh and Vasant Kunj as per the directions of the government. The revised and updated DPR has been submitted to Government of Uttar Pradesh (GoUP). The total route length of the corridor will be 11.165 km of which elevated length will be 4.286 km while underground length will be 6.879 km. The total number of stations in this corridor will be 12 comprising 7 underground and 5 elevated stations. The estimated time of completion is 5 years.

 


 

Rail Analysis: Please share with us the response of the passengers on Kanpur Metro so far? What are the projected timeline for its complete corridor / phase to open?

Shri Sushil Kumar: Kanpur Metro is getting very good response from the people of Kanpur who have remained the biggest support from the very beginning of the construction work of Kanpur Metro. With state of the art infrastructure, the Kanpur metro offers comfortable and world class services to the people of Kanpur.

It is a safe, convenient, fast and reliable means of public transport requisite for the second most densely populated city of Uttar Pradesh with a total population of around 40 lakhs. Kanpur Metro is planned in such a way that it connects the residential areas, schools, hospitals, colleges, universities and businesses operating in an array of segments. With completion of both the corridors it will decongest the areas witnessing traffic congestion and will save time and money of the commuters.

Under the Kanpur Metro Rail Project, two metro corridors have been proposed in the city. The length of the Corridor-1 from IIT-Kanpur to Naubasta is 23.78 km and the length of the Corridor-2 from Chandrashekhar Azad Agricultural University to Barra-8 is 8.60 km. Commuter services were inaugurated on the around 9 kms long Priority section from IIT Kanpur to Motijheel under Corridor-1by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on December 28, 2021.

The construction work on all the other three remaining sections of this corridor is currently progressing at a fast pace. section between Chunniganj-Nayaganj under Corridor-1 has been started with the help of ‘Nana’ and ‘Tatya’ Tunnel Boring Machines. ‘Nana’ Tunnel Boring Machine till now has completed tunnelling work up to 650 meters on downline while ‘Tatya’ has also progressed up to 230 meters up line in its tunnelling drive in a sustained manner.

Casting of roof slabs (station roof) is under construction with top down method at all 4 metro stations of this section. The casting of its next phases i.e. Concourse and Base slab has also been started at Nayaganj Metro Station.

The construction work of the second 3 km long underground section between Kanpur Central – Transport Nagar under Corridor -1 is also progressing at a fast pace. First D-wall for Jhakakatti metro station on this section was lowered on June 10. On October 17th, casting of the roof slab at this station began. Next after that, the 5.42 km long Baradevi-Naubasta section of Corridor -1 is fully elevated. Piling work and construction of pile cap is currently progressing at full speed at various points of this section. The tender work for the eight km long second corridor between CSA and Barra – 8 is also in its final stage, soon after which its construction is likely to begin.

After achieving the milestone of inaugurating commuter services on the Priority section before the scheduled time, the next target of Kanpur Metro is to complete the construction work on the balance section of both the corridors before the stipulated time i.e. by the end of year 2024. With the starting of commuter services on the entire section, people of Kanpur will be able to reach any part of the city by their own Metro

Name of the CorridorTotal length of Corridor (in km)Total no. of stations
ElevatedUndergroundTotalElevatedUndergroundTotal
Corridor 1: IIT Kanpur to Naubasta15.28.623.814721
Corridor 2: Agriculture University to Barra-84.24.48.8448

 

Rail Analysis: Can you share the construction status of the ongoing Agra Fort Metro Station. When will this project be complete and what kind of technologies are you using in this project?

Shri Sushil Kumar: Agra Metro Rail Project, the prestigious metro rail project of the Govt of India and Govt of Uttar Pradesh was inaugurated on the 7th of December 2020 by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in presence of Hon’ble Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath. For the first corridor of Agra Metro that runs from Taj East Gate to Sikandara, there will be 6 elevated and 7 underground stations. Readers may get aware and benefited by reading this magazine on regular basis. The magazine also provides enough information about the latest technologies and methodologies are being used in metro constructions.

There are total 6 stations on the priority corridor that has been marked from Taj East Gate to Jama Masjid. Out of these, Taj East Gate, Basai and Fatehabad Metro Station are elevated and Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Jama Masjid metro station are underground. The D Wall work at Agra Fort Metro Station has been completed and the concourse slab has also been cast for the station concourse area. Along with this, other utility works are also taking place simultaneously on the station which involve electrical and mechanical works.

 


 

Rail Analysis: For the Gorakhpur metrolite project, What is the projected cost of the complete network and when is the tendering expected to start?

Shri Sushil Kumar: The 15.14 km long corridor of Gorakhpur Metro Lite Rail (Shyam Nagar to MMM Engineering College) has got approval from Public Investment Board on 22th November 2021 at a completion cost of 2670.37 Cr. The date and time of the project commencement is yet to be decided by the govt.

 


 

Rail Analysis: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Shri Sushil Kumar: It is a platform where the readers of Rail Analysis India get the comprehensively knowledge about the rail and metro sector. The magazine also provides enough information about the latest technologies and methodologies are being used in metro constructions. Readers may get aware and benefited by reading this magazine on regular basis.


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