METROMORPHOSIS TO UNCLOG ROADS
COUNTDOWN BEGINS From September 6, Lucknowites are set to change the way they commute. The city that has seen the era of ekkatongas and tempos will see the Metro plying from Charbagh to Transport Nagar. The journey would be faster, comfortable, sophistic
From September 6, Lucknowites are set to change the way they commute. The city that has seen the era of ekka-tongas and tempos will see the Metro plying from Charbagh to Transport Nagar. The journey would be faster, comfortable, sophisticated and eco-friendly. In a series beginning today, we highlight various aspects of this smart travel.
PANACEA FOR CONGESTION Metro will initially reduce up to 30% of vehicular traffic, as pollutionfree ride coupled with timely journey will prompt more people to use the service, say experts
The first phase of Lucknow Metro will bring about a major relief for commuters from traffic congestion between Amausi airport and Charbagh.
Smooth and pollution-free ride coupled with timely journey will prompt more people to use metro. Experts say metro will initially reduce up to 30 per cent of vehicular traffic.
“The mass transit system will motivate thousands to board metro shunning auto-rickshaws and even their cars. The present road infrastructure in Lucknow is not enough for a hassle-free ride and the city critically needs a metro,” said scientist and expert on city transport PK Srivastava. Lucknow is characterised by rapid growth and inadequate public transport system leading to congestion, pollution and safety concerns for commuters. Metro will offer time-saving mobility till Charbagh for now.
“On the 10-kilometre metro route for the first phase, about 600 three-wheelers and tempos ferry 20,000-odd passengers every day. Add to this 70,000 private vehicles that pass the route taking the total count of commuters to over 1.5 lakh daily,” said Pankaj Dixit, president of Lucknow Auto-Rickshaw ThreeWheeler Sangh (LARTS), an association of three-wheelers and tempos in the state capital.
Dixit said metro would reduce the load on three-wheelers, city buses and private vehicles on the route by 70 per cent.
“Those who need to go beyond Charbagh, say Hazratganj or Indira Nagar, may not board the metro,” he pointed out.
Metro will give residents the option of a clean transport and reduce vehicular traffic once the first phase is functional and well-accepted. Fare will not be a concern as metro offers a very different experience.
“Air-conditioned coaches are a totally different experience. If 10-km distance on metro costs ₹15, a cab will cost ₹50. What is the point in taking a cab that will stop at all traffic signals and traffic bottlenecks?” asks Srivastava.
The route has eight stations – Transport Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Singar Nagar, Alambagh, bus station, Durgapuri, Mawaiya and Charbagh railway station.
COST EFFECTIVE
As compared to private vehicles, metro is expected to bring down the cost of commuting by 40 per cent. It will definitely be a cleaner, cheaper and better option as compared to the existing public transport system. “Consider the cost of fuel (petrol or diesel), add to it the average monthly/annual maintenance of the vehicle and you will finer metro a cheaper, safer and cleaner transport,” said Srivastava.
“Metro will bring down the travelling cost on the route by 70 per cent,” he said.
The average waiting time will be less and the shoving to get inside a bus or a three-wheeler during peak hours will also be eliminated as passengers will have to board the metro in a queue.
“As there will be a gap of few minutes between two metro rides, the waiting time will be low. The metro stations will also have reverse clocks which will provide information about the estimated time of the train’s arrival,” Srivastava said.
Travel time will be lesser as the waiting time will be reduced and the ride will be much faster as compared to private vehicles.
“If you board a three-wheeler from Krishna Nagar to Charbagh and if all the seats in it are free, the driver will take at least 10 minutes to find passengers. If one passenger gets down after a few kilometres, the driver again starts chasing passengers. Add to this the traffic congestion during peak hours,” said Subodh Shukla, employed with a private firm.
“This will not be the case in metro that will run on its stipulated time, as it happens in New Delhi,” he said.
Those living on the metro route are waiting for the service to start. Some say they are ready to stop using their cars or motorcycles and would reach Charbagh to take metro. Majority, however, say they will do so when the second phase starts.
PASSENGER-FRIENDLY STNS
Metro stations would be equipped with add-value machines (AVMs) to enable passengers validate their smart cards through online transactions.
The metro stations have two elevators and escalators each for hassle-free movement of passengers between different levels of stations. Ramps have also been provided for smooth entry and exit of physically challenged passengers.