Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today laid foundation stone of ambitious Lucknow Metro Rail and hoped that the project would bring a new era of development and transform the state capital.
Under the first phase, the metro would to be constructed between Lucknow airport to Munshipullia.
Akhilesh said public transport was a necessity for rapidly expanding cities and metro was the best system. He expressed confidence that metro would become operational in Lucknow within next three years.
"Today metro project has been started in Lucknow and it marks the beginning of a new era of development. Picture of cities where metro started has changed. Metro is a necessity," he said.
He also expressed his gratitude towards Metro Man Padma Vibhushan E Sreedharan for associating with Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation as consultant.
Akhilesh said the previous Mayawati-led BSP government could have put the funds to proper use for running a metro.
Speaking on the occasion, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav urged the UP government to make metro operational with in one-and-half-year.
He suggested that to make this possible work should be done in three shifts of eight hours each.
"The CM and his officers should not wait for a single day in getting construction of metro route started. Prepare a plan to get it ready within one-and-a-half year, and at that time I will come to congratulate for inauguration," Mulayam said.
"I would like to urge the CM and the officers that the work should not wait for even a single day. When I was the CM, foundation stone was laid when the work had already started.
Everyone accepts that development of the country depends on UP. It is the responsibility of all of us to take the state forward in every field," he added.
PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said a historical project was being started in form of Lucknow metro.
Urban Development Minister Mohd Azam Khan said the people of Lucknow were happy with metro project. He said Narendra Modi talked about starting metro in Gujarat, but didn't do so.
In the first phase of the project, around 23 km route would be constructed from Amausi to Munshipullia under North-South corridor. It would be completed by March 2018.
In the second phase, construction of 11 km route would be undertaken between Charbagh and Vasant Kunj, which would be completed by March 2019.
Total 22 metro stations would be constructed under the project with an estimated cost of Rs 13,000 crore.