Lucknow metro project still undecided
Lucknow- Two metro rail projects of Lucknow are likely to be assessed by the officials of Planning Commission and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The officials would prepare an estimate of financial model under which the project could be executed.
The two stations have been proposed to be built at Aminabad and Hussainganj. The team of officials of Planning Commission and DMRC visited both the sites. The project was earlier replaced by the Bus Rapid Transit System in which dedicated corridors were proposed to be constructed for plying of buses.
The project cost is estimated to be approximately around Rs 18,000 crore and the Uttar Pradesh government is not able to arrange the budget, revealed LDA sources. The government also accepted that the high cost involved in this project is the main reason for the government to rethink on it.
The team of officials is all set to inspect the east-west corridor and north-south corridor of proposed Lucknow city metro project. However, the state government is asking for assistance from the centre regarding the project. It has to be noted that no budgetary provision was made by the state government this year, and not even in the supplementary budget.
The government has been considering three financial models for the project currently, said sources. First model is that the Centre may grant heavy subsidy for the project. Second option is to hire a private agency under the public private partnership model. And the third is allowing a private developer to take control of large chunk of land for real estate development around the project. This guarantees substantial rate of return on a project, which by all standards have a high cost. For the third model, both state and centre will have to fund 20 percent each and the remaining 60 percent through loan route.
In August 2011, a team of DMRC officials had visited the state capital and had given a presentation about these models to keep the project moving. Yet, no conclusion was drawn by the committee.
All the concerned departments had been asked for suggestions regarding allocating finance to the project by the committee. It had been suggested that the route of metro be made underground for a majority of distance. But as per experts, the cost involved in the construction and operation of underground metro rail is three to four times the cost of overhead one.
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Bus rapid transit system, dedicated corridors, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Lucknow, Lucknow metro project, metro rail, Planning Commission, projects of Lucknow, underground metro, Uttar Pradesh government
