SURYA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s maiden underwater metro route in Kolkata on March 6, heralding a major achievement in the nation’s infrastructure advancement. This subaquatic service forms a segment of the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section within the Kolkata Metro’s East-West corridor, traversing 16.6 km beneath the Hooghly River.
Connecting Howrah and Salt Lake, the twin cities of West Bengal’s state capital, the metro route features three underground stations. Notably, it is anticipated to traverse a 520-meter stretch under the Hooghly river in a mere 45 seconds.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by Bengal Governor Dr. CV Ananda Bose, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, alongside other prominent officials and dignitaries. Notably, students from various schools were spotted traveling on the inaugural metro with PM Modi.
Positioned 26 meters below the river’s surface, the lower section of the newly-constructed tunnel will host trains operating 16 meters beneath the riverbed. This groundbreaking initiative marks India’s pioneering transportation project, with a metro train traversing beneath a river for the first time.
As per the Ministry of Railways, around 10.8 kilometers of the route will be underground, while 5.75 kilometers will be elevated on a viaduct.
