Kolkata: India’s First Underwater Metro Hits 7.5 Lakh Riders Mark In Record Time

Since its inauguration, Kolkata's underwater metro services have experienced a remarkable surge in commuters, transporting over 750,000 passengers in just over two weeks.

According to an official statement, the stretch between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan stations has witnessed a significant influx of passengers since its opening on 15 March.

During the period from 15 March to 31 March, spanning 17 days, Howrah station recorded the highest passenger count of 315,000, followed closely by Howrah Maidan station with 255,000 passengers.

Kausik Mitra, chief public relations officer of Kolkata Metro, revealed these statistics, highlighting the popularity of the 4.8-km-long Green Line stretch between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade, reports Financial Express.

The under-river tunnel is built beneath the Hooghly River to link the Kolkata Metro's East-West Metro corridor, stretching 16.6 km to connect Howrah Maidan to Sector V, with a total project cost of Rs 8,600 crore.

The underwater stretch, spanning 520 metres between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade recorded a staggering 70,204 passengers on its first day. The journey through this tunnel took approximately 45 seconds.

Currently, the route is served by four metro stations: Howrah, Howrah Maidan, Esplanade, and Mahakaran, with services operational from Monday to Saturday. The Esplanade metro station acts as a crucial interchange between the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-Kavi Subhas) and the Green Line (Howrah Maidan-Esplanade).

In 2017, the tunnelling project under the Hooghly River bed was successfully finished by construction major, Afcons Infrastructure. The underwater section consists of twin tunnels made of 1.4-metre-wide concrete rings. The tunnels include hydrophilic gaskets to further prevent water from getting inside.

The trains operate 26 metres below ground level at the tunnel's bottom, which is 36 metres from the water's surface.

The East-West corridor project, initiated in 2009, commenced tunnelling under the Hooghly River in 2017. The Salt Lake Sector V to Sealdah stretch of the corridor is already operational.