About
Kanpur Metro is operated by UPMRC, the same SPV that runs Lucknow Metro. Phase 1 (Line 1, Orange Line) covers 9.5 km from IIT Kanpur to Motijheel, with revenue services beginning December 2021 — making it the second metro in Uttar Pradesh after Lucknow.
The project was sanctioned in 2018 and executed in just 24 months from groundbreaking — among India's fastest metro construction timelines. Total cost: ₹2,750 crore for Phase 1 (₹290 crore/km, lower than typical due to fully-elevated alignment). The fully-elevated viaduct uses BEML 4-coach trainsets running on 25 kV AC.
A 14 km extension (Motijheel-Naubasta) is under construction, with the full network targeting 32 km. Daily ridership averages 35,000 (2024) — modest but growing.
The Kanpur Metro is significant as India's first metro substantially funded under the AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) — ₹650 crore loan from AIIB in addition to the standard JICA component. This diversification of metro project funding sources is a model for future Indian metro projects.
Cross-references
9Indian Standards, IRC codes, and InfraLens knowledge articles that bear on this project's design and execution. Each link opens the relevant reference page.
Related calculators
5InfraLens calculators most relevant for metro projects.
Notable features
- Second metro in UP after Lucknow
- Built in 24 months — among India's fastest metro construction
- ₹290 crore/km — lower than typical Indian metro cost
- Fully-elevated viaduct, BEML 4-coach trainsets
- First Indian metro funded substantially by AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank)