Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated several metro projects across India, including the country’s first underwater metro segment in Kolkata, West Bengal.
According to Times of India, the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade metro segment, which crosses a major river named the Hooghly, is considered a significant milestone in India’s infrastructure development.
The line connects Howrah Maidan and Esplanade over a distance of 4.8 kilometers, with the under-river section measuring 520 meters, taking just 45 seconds to traverse.
India’s first underwater metro segment costs approximately $600 million – (Photo: PTI).
The tunneling work under the river began in 2017. The project is recognized for its engineering excellence, showcasing technological capability during construction.
Moreover, this project is not just a transportation system; it also addresses long-standing issues of traffic congestion and air pollution in Kolkata, promising a more sustainable and efficient urban environment.
Not only is it the first tunnel under a major river in India, but the Howrah metro station is also the deepest tunnel in the country (30 meters).
Notably, the trains are managed by an Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system, allowing trains to automatically move to the next station with just a push of a button.
The trains completed their underwater testing in the Hooghly River in April 2023 and officially began passenger service on March 7th.
The current Kolkata metro network spans 47.93 kilometers, comprising: 32.13 kilometers of North-South corridor, 9.3 kilometers of East-West corridor, and 6.5 kilometers of Joka-Esplanade corridor. An expansion of 13.27 kilometers has also been planned.
