Title - Builders eye proposed metro route in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: Even as housing officials are busy chalking out plans to run metro in the city, the builders have started gathering information about prominent stations and locations on metro route through Right to Information Act.Reportedly, more than 80 applications have arrived at information office till date inquiring about metro details. People are interested to know that if the proposed station is going to be set up in Hazratganj, then where would it actually be located. Similarly, people have shown interest for locations like Hussainganj, Alambagh, Munshipulia etc. Around a dozen queries have come for Amausi airport station which is primarily a commercial area.It has been found that most of the RTIs are being filed by builders who want to purchase lands near metro route, eyeing the prospective escalation of land value after the metro is built. After obtaining information, they plan to buy these lands immediately. They have started frequenting officials who are looking after the metro project to get the information.

The North-South Corridor would run on 22.878 kms with 3 underground and 19 elevated stations while the East-West Corridor will cover 11.098 kms with 7 underground and 5 elevated stations. Even though the areas where metro stations would come up have been disclosed by metro cell, they have not exactly specified where their locations would be. This information is very crucial for builders to start planning their investments in Lucknow.

However, LDA and metro cell are keeping mum on this information on strict instructions from the government. With no other option, builders are taking the help of RTI tool which has baffled the officials on whether to provide the information or not. LDA has received more than 80 applications so far. Most people have mistakenly send application to the Lucknow Development Authority for gathering the relevant information but the information lies with a special metro cell constituted by the government to monitor the metro project.