For women, by women: Metro to launch e-bike shuttle service from today

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) will launch a women-only electric bike metro shuttle service, ‘MyDidi’, on Friday.The service will be inaugurated by UPMRC managing director Sushil Kumar at Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station.Designed to provide last-mile connectivity for women commuters, the service will operate on a ‘By Women, For Women’ model.In its initial phase, MyDidi will be available at four metro stations, Vishvavidyalaya, IT College, Bhoothnath and Krishna Nagar.Women commuters can avail rides within a 5-km radius at a flat fare of Rs 15.UPMRC has also announced free rides for women passengers during the introductory period.Meanwhile, the UPMRC highlighted a range of sustainability and resource conservation measures undertaken by the Lucknow Metro network.According to UPMRC, the metro system, which records more than 90,000 passenger trips daily, contributes to public transport usage in the city and has adopted several energy-efficiency initiatives in its operations.These include the procurement of electricity through the Indian Energy Exchange under the open access model, the use of LED lighting across stations and trains, and the deployment of CO2 sensor-based air-conditioning systems aimed at optimising energy consumption.UPMRC said regenerative braking technology installed in metro trains and lifts enables the recovery and reuse of energy. The corporation has also installed 3.312 MW of solar power capacity across stations, depots and administrative buildings.Water conservation measures include more than 300 rainwater harvesting structures along the 23-km corridor, water-efficient fixtures at stations, and the reuse of treated wastewater for horticulture and train washing at the Transport Nagar depot. UPMRC stated that its depots operate as zero-discharge facilities.The corporation also highlighted environmental measures taken during construction, including the transplantation of trees and the development of landscaped green areas. All Lucknow Metro stations have received Platinum ratings from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), according to UPMRC.The metro operator said it continues to focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy use and resource conservation as part of its urban transit operations.