Kolkata Metro: Today, on March 6th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first under-river metro tunnel in Kolkata. This significant infrastructure project connects Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, traversing beneath the Hooghly River. Accompanied by school students, PM Modi also took a ride on the Kolkata metro, marking a historic moment for the city’s transportation system. Before the inauguration, the students expressed joy at the opportunity to travel with PM Modi on this pioneering underwater metro service.
Everything you should know about Kolkata, India’s first under-river metro area
The extension of the Kolkata Metro, which includes the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade Metro section, signifies the inauguration of India’s first transportation tunnel passing beneath a major river. This momentous occasion marks a pivotal advancement in the nation’s infrastructure, showcasing significant progress in transportation systems.
The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade stretch runs beneath the Hooghly River, with Kolkata and Howrah City on its east and west banks, respectively. The 4.8-kilometer length between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade is the second leg of the East-West Metro network, connecting Howrah Maidan with the IT hotspot Salt Lake Sector V. The Metro is expected to go 520 meters under the Hooghly River in 45 seconds.
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The East-West Metro, with a total length of 16.6 km, features an underground corridor covering 10.8 km between Howrah Maidan and Phoolbagan, which includes the tunnel beneath the Hooghly River. The rest of the stretch comprises an elevated corridor.
The Metro aims to commence commercial operations along the entire route of the East-West alignment, spanning from Salt Lake Sector V to Howrah Maidan, by June-July.