The Uttar Pradesh government granted approval to the Charbagh-Vasant Kunj second metro corridor project, measuring a length of 11.165 km. The deadline for initiating commercial operations on the route has been set for June 30, 2027. State finance minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, who spoke after the cabinet's approval of the ambitious project valued at Rs 58.01 billion, mentioned, The corridor is designed to include 12 stations, comprising seven underground and five elevated ones. The detailed project report will be forwarded to the Centre for its approval. It was noted by an official that the project received cabinet approval due to the growing number of commuters on the existing Lucknow metro corridor, which had exceeded Rs 80.70 million since its inauguration in 2017. Additionally, the government aims to promote an eco-friendly public transport system to minimize carbon emissions. The train is expected to travel silently at a depth of 10-15 meters below the earth's surface, covering Charbagh, Gautam Budh Marg, Aminabad, Pandeyganj, City Railway Station, Medical Chauraha, and Nawazganj. The official stated, A key factor in the cabinet's approval of the project was the consistent increase in commuters on the current Lucknow metro corridor, which has surpassed 8.70 crore since its inauguration in 2017. Furthermore, the government is committed to promoting an environmentally friendly public transport system to reduce the carbon footprint. A six-coach train, when operating at full capacity, can transport around 1,100 passengers. The current average ridership of the Lucknow metro is reported to be 87,000 passengers per day, with the highest footfall recorded on January 1, 2024, reaching 1.22 lakh on the 22.8 km-long corridor connecting Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Amausi to Munshipulia. The Charbagh-Vasant Kunj corridor will utilize the 750 DC traction system instead of an overhead electrification (OHE) system, which is currently employed in the Kanpur and Agra metro projects to reduce maintenance costs. The total project cost of Rs 58.01 billion will be financed with a 60% loan from financial institutions, while the remaining 40% will be equally funded by the state and center on a 20:20 ratio. Nitin Ramesh Gokarn, additional chief secretary of the housing and urban planning department, expressed confidence that the project would receive approval from the center. He mentioned, We strongly believe that the project will get a green signal from the centre. It will prove to be a gamechanger in the public transport system in Lucknow. He added, We will complete the project within 40 months by using tunnel boring machines (TBMs) from both ends to complete the 6.879 km long tunnel. Earlier the project had to be completed in five years, but after revised DPR, the period has been cut short to three years and four months. For a metro service in tier-II cities in India with a network of 20-30 km, an estimated Rs 125-130 crore per year is required for day-to-day operations after commissioning. According to an official source from UPMRC, Lucknow metro is able to maintain a good cash-in and cash-out balance with a cash inflow of around Rs 1.50 billion per annum, from the fare and non-fare box revenue models, which is more than its operational cost. Following the post-COVID period, the overall passenger ridership on the Lucknow metro's first corridor has increased by 35%. However, UPMRC has struggled to repay the loan to the European Investment Bank (EIB), which invested 50% of the total cost of Rs 68.80 billion in constructing the first corridor. The repayment of that loan is being managed by the central government. The official stated, Not a single metro corporation in the country, be it Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, is able to pay loans taken for metro network construction. In fact, barring Ahmedabad metro, all others are earning enough, especially from non-fare box revenue models, to operate the metro services and pay salaries and other bills.