Lucknow’s public transport is seeing a massive shift, with all the development in the city, the growing population and the popularity of the Lucknow Metro. The LMRC is constantly trying to make Lucknow Metro a better mode of travel and at the same time, bring people from all walks of the city closer to other areas.
We visited a few Metro stations in the city to get an idea of what the people feel about this new mode of travel. Since the Lucknow Metro is here to make commuting more comfortable and advanced for, let’s have a look at what the people think about the city’s touted lifeline.
“It is the lifeline of the city”
Of the commuters we spoke to, several were either frequent travellers of the metro while others were occasional travellers. In fact, a few were first time travellers and wanted to know how the city’s metro fared against Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata metro systems.
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Vaibhav Jha, a student of BBD University, stated that he has been staying in Lucknow for the past four years. “I have seen Lucknow metro grow from nothing. Now that it finally opened a few months back, I am happy about it and use it at least 3-4 times a week as it is very convenient.
With the heat upon us, there is no chance that I would opt for autos or e-rickshaws even though the metro is more expensive if you’re travelling over short distances.” Adding to this, he said “the lack of last mile connectivity is a major issue that needs to be tackled.”
A mother-son duo that we came across had a similar opinion the Lucknow metro. “We travel in the metro at least once a week as I have to regularly visit the hospital. The Lucknow metro has made things really easy for me and if I must travel, this is the first mode of transport that comes to my mind. In fact, I have been using the metro even before the entire route opened up. The stations are well made and give a nice city scape to Lucknow.”
On the lack of women’s only coaches, Rita Singh went on to say “as of now, I feel really secure in the metro. The mindset of Lucknowites is such that there is no need for a separate coach for women yet.”
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“The metro can take you where your car can’t. I often make use of the metro to avoid traffic and parking related issues. There are several instances where I would gladly pick the metro over my own vehicle as I can avoid the hassle of driving, fuel and what not. The Lucknow Metro helps me save money as well as fuel on my travels,” said Nandija, the mother of a 9 month old child. She also added that the metro connectivity should expand to areas such as Barabanki and Malihabad.
“It’s great but it needs to be expanded more”
A rather disgruntled passenger, Sanjay Aggarwal said “the metro is rather convenient for all, but the thing is that there are still many issues that plague it. I have only travelled in Lucknow metro once or twice, but the fact is that metro systems in Delhi and Kolkata is much better. For one, the Lucknow metro is really new and does not connect major areas in the city.
The metro could do with some expansion, especially in the more crowded areas. As for last mile connectivity, in this heat the LMRC must take a step in the right direction and quickly provide a service to commuters.” He finished by saying “however, I am satisfied with the metro and the facility it provides. The stations are clean and the staff is really a big help.”
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Pawan Kumar, a daily commuter was accompanying his wife Pammi Dev for a ride in the metro. Pammi stated that it was her first time on the metro and she was excited about it. She went on to add that the station was very well maintained and she was proud to see such a metro in Lucknow.
When asked about any improvements that could help the metro, Pawan said, “It’s hard to reach the desired location because of the limited number of stops. A metro route towards SGPGI would be quite beneficial to a lot of Lucknowites.”
Ishita Lahiri, resident of Lucknow is a daily traveller and travels to her office in Bhoothnath. When asked about why she prefers the metro over other transport options she said, “It is more convenient and takes less time.”
After which she went to add some of the drawbacks she thought could use changes, “The fares are higher than other cities with Metro. It also lacks last mile connectivity.” She suggested that the Metro could be expanded with more number of stops and should have a separate coach for women like they do in Delhi.
Though Lucknow metro has not yet reached the level of Delhi metro, it is certainly getting there. In just a few months since its launch, it has become a major part of the city and now, it is hard to imagine Lucknow without it. The Lucknow metro has certainly brought about a revolution in the way that we traverse the city.
