The Lucknow Metro is a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) being constructed to provide the city of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh with an environment friendly atmosphere. The commencement of civil works started on 27 September 2014. Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation Limited or LMRC is working on this project which will be an alternative mode of transport since approximately 94% of the city’s registered vehicles are private. Growing population and huge traffic has called for the transformation of private modes of conveyance to public transport. The metro project will be the most expensive public transport system in the state of Uttar Pradesh, costing ₹6,928 crore (US$1 billion) in phase 1 of construction, first lane of which is expected to be operational by December 2016. Phase 2 will be started in 2018