The Kanpur metro rail was flagged off on its trial run by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday. He said that trial would be completed within the next four to six weeks, and the commercial service will be launched by the PM Narendra Modi.
Work on the metro started on November 15 last year. Despite the lockdown and the pandemic, the 9-kilometre-long priority corridor of the metro has been completed well in time.
“Despite challenges the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation has achieved this feat. The central government has also contributed to this entire programme," said the CM.
A number of innovations stand out in the Kanpur metro. These include the first time use in the country of double T-girders (load bearing structures) for the construction of the base of the first floor of the metro stations. This has enabled completion of nine metro stations in just seven months and 17 days.
For the first time in the country, twin pier cap (which has pillars on just one side of the road) has been used to support the automatic coach wash plant. This saves space and allows for free movement of traffic.
The metro also uses an inverter in the traction system. This will put back into the system energy generated by the brakes of the train.
The Priority Corridor of Kanpur Metro has received ISO 14001 for Environment Management and ISO 45001 for Safety Management.
Speaking on the occasion, Kumar Keshav, Managing Director of the UP Metro Rail Corporation said that it had been an easy task to achieve the stiff target because of the work of all those associated with the project.
Keshav had earlier spearheaded the commissioning of the trial run of the 8.5km priority corridor of the Lucknow Metro in two years and two months. This was the fastest ever metro execution project execution in the country.
He has also taken the lead in building a ‘metro’ culture in cities which have not had a mass rapid transport system.
“I travel with groups of school children, professionals, housewives in the metro talking to them about the benefits of the system. We have organised several first rides for groups of people to familiarise them with the metro,” he said.
