The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, inaugurated the Kanpur Metro Orange Line extension during an official ceremony held at the new Chunniganj station on 30 May 2025.
The extension adds five underground stations to the city’s Metro Corridor I (Orange Line), stretching from Chunniganj to Kanpur Central. “The government brought Kanpur its first metro service, and today, the Orange Line has reached Kanpur Central. The metro network, which began as an elevated line, has now expanded underground, seamlessly connecting key areas of the city,” said Narendra Modi.
The Prime Minister also emphasised that the metro “will make travel to Naveen Market and Bada Chauraha easier for traders and customers alike,” while “students from IIT Kanpur and the general public will also save significant travel time in reaching Central Railway Station.”
The extension is operated using Indian-made metro trains manufactured by Alstom. These trains are equipped with an advanced CBTC system, ensuring safe, reliable, and sustainable mobility for commuters.
Alstom is supplying a total of 67 three-car trainsets (201 metro cars) along with a state-of-the-art signalling solution for the Agra-Kanpur metro project. The trains are being produced at Alstom’s cutting-edge facility in Savli, Gujarat, under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives. The first trainset was delivered to the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) in Kanpur in September 2021. To date, 40 trains are operating successfully in the city, each accommodating approximately 960 passengers in a three-car configuration.
The Kanpur Metro Orange Line extension forms part of Corridor I, the city’s first metro line, which was inaugurated in December 2021. Corridor I now runs from IIT Kanpur to Kanpur Central, comprising 14 stations in total — nine elevated and five underground. Work is currently underway on a further extension, which will include seven additional stations, five of which will be elevated and two underground.
Once completed, the 23.8 km-long Corridor I will provide east–west connectivity from the western terminal at IIT Kanpur to Naubasta. The alignment includes 15.2 km of elevated track and 8.6 km of underground section, with a total of 21 stations.
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