Lucknow, July 30 -- The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) has launched International Online Certification Courses, becoming the country's first metro rail organisation to offer online certification programmes for metro professionals. The initiative, launched by UPMRC managing director Sushil Kumar through the corporation's Centre of Excellence and Training (CoET), is aimed at creating a globally skilled workforce for the fast-expanding metro rail industry. The programme aligns with the Government of India's Skill India Mission and seeks to make specialised metro training available to learners in India as well as overseas. It is a first of its kind initiative for India's urban transit sector, said Kumar. Launching the initiative, Kumar said the rapid expansion of metro systems in India and abroad has created an urgent need for certified professionals with specialised knowledge. He said the online certification platform would not only strengthen India's metro ecosystem but also help prepare a skilled workforce capable of supporting urban transit projects across the world. More than a dozen specialised courses have been introduced in the first phase, covering critical areas such as Rolling Stock, Signalling, Track Maintenance and Automatic Fare Collection (AFC). UPMRC plans to gradually expand the catalogue to include metro planning, construction, operations, maintenance, safety and other specialised domains. The courses are open to engineers, consultants, contractors, students and professionals from India and abroad. The fee has been fixed at Rs.200 per course for Indian participants and US $100 for foreign nationals, making the programme accessible while extending UPMRC's technical expertise to an international audience....