In a significant boost to urban transit, UPMRC has officially expanded its metro connectivity in Kanpur by adding seven new stations along Corridor 1. Earlier, this corridor had only 14 metro stations, which were operational between IIT Kanpur and Kanpur Central. Now, with the addition of seven new stations, the number has become 21 with a route of about 23.8 km.

The route will now extend from Kanpur Central to Naubasta. Moreover, Alstom has completed the 10th and final delivery of rolling stock for Kanpur Metro. With this, daily commuters will soon be able to catch a metro every 5 minutes and 6 seconds along the full IIT Kanpur to Naubasta route, offering much-needed relief ahead of the Diwali festival.

Initially, the VIP stretch of Corridor 1 was opened to the public between IIT Kanpur and Motijheel. Subsequently, the second section was inaugurated last year, connecting Motijheel to Kanpur Central through an underground corridor. Now, UPMRC is finally completing the entire Orange Line (Corridor 1) with the addition of seven new stations:

• Jhakarkati Bus Terminal (Underground)

• Transport Nagar (Underground)

• Baradevi

• Kidwai Nagar

• Vasant Vihar

• Buddhist Nagar

• Naubasta

With these seven additions, the Orange Line will have a total of 21 metro stations, connecting northern Kanpur to its southern neighborhoods.

For an industrial city with a population of nearly 4 million people, traffic congestion has engulfed key bottlenecks like Jhakarkati Bridge, Mill Company Bridge, and Opium Kothi Bridge, which regularly face heavy delays during peak morning and evening hours.

For now, only 8 metro trains are operating, resulting in passenger wait times of up to 13 minutes. To address this:

• Kanpur Metro has received its full fleet of 39 trains from Alstom under the 10th and final delivery.

• 29 trains will be allocated to Corridor 1 (Orange Line: IIT Kanpur to Naubasta).

• 10 trains are designated for Corridor 2 (Blue Line: CSA Agricultural University to Barra-8).

Once safety inspections and final government approvals are complete, the increased frequency will drop waiting times to just five minutes, helping thousands of commuters save valuable time every day.

The Blue Line (Corridor 2) is being developed across an 8.6-kilometre stretch to connect North Kanpur with South Kanpur. The corridor is currently under construction, with eight new metro stations expected to become operational by December 2026. The Blue Line will also connect with the Orange Line at Rawatpur Metro Station, providing commuters with an interchange between the two corridors.

Underground Stations:

• CSA Agriculture University

• Rawatpur (Interchange with the Orange Line)

• Kakadeo

• Double Pulia 

Elevated Stations:

• Vijay Nagar Chauraha

• Shastri Chowk

• Barra-7

• Barra-8