Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently celebrated the opening of India’s first under-river metro tunnel in Kolkata, a significant achievement nearly 40 years since the city launched its first metro services. This tunnel, constructed beneath the Hooghly River, links Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, connecting two important areas of the city.
The completion of this project means that trains can now traverse a 520-meter stretch under the river in just 45 seconds, offering a faster and more convenient mode of transportation for residents. To commemorate this milestone, PM Modi, accompanied by school children, took a metro ride from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan.
Construction on the tunnel began in 2017, and the 4.8km segment of the East-West Metro in West Bengal was completed at a cost of Rs 49.65 billion (£470 million). The Kolkata Metro plans to commence commercial operations for the entire East-West route between Salt Lake Sector V and Howrah Maidan by June-July.
This achievement highlights the expansion of metro rail services in India, which are now available in 15 cities nationwide. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation alone operates an extensive network spanning 393km in the capital city of New Delhi.
