Indias First Underwater Metro

Several metro projects have been unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi across the nation, including Kolkata’s Indias First Underwater Metro . The prime minister opened the Rs 4,965-crore Howrah Maidan-Esplanade segment of the Kolkata Metro’s East-West Corridor, the country’s first transit tunnel “under any mighty river in India”.

Additionally, the Howrah metro station, the deepest in the nation, is located along this section. Agra Priority Corridor, popularly known as the Agra Metro Rail Project, was officially opened by PM Modi earlier in the day.

This project will give visitors direct metro access to popular tourist destinations including the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort.

In April 2023, Metro made history when, for the first time in the nation, its rake passed through a tunnel beneath the Hooghly River. The second segment of the East-West Metro corridor connects Howrah Maidan with Salt Lake Sector V, the IT hub, and spans 4.8 kilometres between the two locations.

What Is the Underwater Metro in Kolkata?

The Kolkata Underwater Metro line is a segment of the East-West Metro line that links the Howrah and Sealdah stations. Regarded as the most fascinating component of the project, the East-West Metro tunnel will include a section that runs 30 metres beneath the Hoogly river, covering over 520 kilometres. Although the normal metro line began operating on February 13, 2020, the underwater segment of the tunnel was supposed to be finished by 2021; however, delays could lead the completion date to be extended until 2022.

It is expected that travellers from Howran can get to the Mahakaran station in less than a minute to the tunnel beneath the river. The 10 lakh passengers who are expected to use the metro line daily by 2035 would find this project extremely alluring.

How Much Is the Cost of the Indias First Underwater Metro ?

A total of INR 49 billion was estimated to be spent on the 14-kilometer project, for which the project’s foundation was set in 2009. However the cost has nearly doubled to over INR 86 billion due to the emergence of delays and complications brought on by the track’s extension.

For the project’s completion, the Indian Railway Board is anticipated to provide about INR 20 crore over the course of two years, matching the about INR 41.6 billion loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Route of India’s First Underwater Metro

This East-West corridor connecting project, which would run from Salt Lake Stadium to Howrah, is being worked on the Indian Railways. Around five kilometres of the line, which runs from Salt Lake Sector 5 to Karunamoyee, Central Park, City Centre and Bengal Chemical, is complete and awaiting permission.

Decreased Journey Time on Kolkata’s Underwater Metro Route-

It is anticipated that the underwater metro line will reduce the transit time over the Hooghly river to less than a minute, even though the new metro line will handle up to 40% of daily traffic. Crossing the river by ferry takes about twenty minutes, whereas driving can take thirty or forty-five minutes.

“We are travelling approximately 16 metres below the level of the river water,” stated the general manager of Kolkata Metro Railway.It’s very amazing. We anticipate seven lakh cyclists each day.”