LUCKNOW, July 20 -- Old Lucknow is set to join Lucknow's metro network, with construction of the 11.165-km Charbagh-Vasant Kunj East-West Corridor expected to begin in the last week of July. The new line will connect the city's historic neighbourhoods with Charbagh Railway Station, Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Aminabad and several other key destinations through the existing metro corridor. The 11.165-km Charbagh-Vasant Kunj East-West Corridor will bring the city's historic core onto Lucknow's metro map for the first time, offering lakhs of commuters a faster and more reliable alternative to congested roads. Once completed, the corridor will integrate with the operational Airport-Munshipulia North-South Corridor at Charbagh, creating a two-corridor metro network across the state capital. With a single interchange at Charbagh, commuters from Chowk, Thakurganj and Aminabad will be able to travel to Hazratganj, the Secretariat, Lucknow University, Indira Nagar, Munshipulia and the airport without leaving the metro network. The project is expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters, students, shoppers and patients by improving access to major educational, healthcare and commercial centres. It will provide direct metro connectivity to King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Chowk, one of North India's busiest healthcare institutions, besides linking the wholesale markets of Pandeyganj, the retail hub of Aminabad and the commercial centre of Hazratganj. The corridor will have 12 stations, including five elevated stations spread across 4.3 km and seven underground stations covering 6.9 km. The underground stretch through Chowk, Medical College, Pandeyganj and Aminabad has been planned to protect heritage structures while reducing disruption in some of the city's most congested areas during construction. Once operational, the East-West Corridor will connect the historic heart of the city with the airport, railway station, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and major commercial centres, expanding the reach of rapid transit across the capital....