The subway completed its inaugural journey through the new tunnel beneath the Hooghly River on April 12, marking a historic moment.
“This is a historic moment for the subway system, a revolutionary step in providing modern transportation for the people of Kolkata and its suburbs,” said Kausik Mitra, the public relations director of the Kolkata Metro system.
Test run of India’s first underwater metro line on April 12. (Photo: Indian Railways)
During the test run, after the train arrived at Howrah Maidan station, authorities conducted a Hindu puja ceremony to seek good fortune. With this success, Kolkata joins the ranks of London, Paris, New York, Shanghai, and Cairo—cities that have metro lines running beneath the Thames, Seine, Hudson, Huangpu, and Nile rivers.
Kolkata is the first city in India to have a subway system. The latest line of the Kolkata Metro runs beneath the Hooghly River in the northeastern part of the city, with a 520-meter tunnel located approximately 32 meters deep. This line is expected to open in November of this year.
The new route will connect the soon-to-open Howrah Maidan metro station with the operational Esplanade station on the opposite side of the Hooghly River, allowing residents to traverse the 520-meter distance in just 45 seconds. Once opened, Howrah Maidan will be the deepest metro station in India. The entire metro line running through Howrah Maidan will span 4.8 kilometers.
India is on the fast track to developing robust transportation infrastructure. Earlier this year, the country inaugurated the first section of a new 8-lane highway connecting New Delhi and Mumbai. This initial stretch connects New Delhi to Lalsot in Rajasthan, a popular tourist destination. In January, the MV Ganga Vilas ship set sail from Varanasi to navigate several waterways, including the Ganges River, on a 3,200-kilometer journey lasting 51 days, earning the title of the longest river cruise in the world.
