Kolkata: Services Commence On India’s First Underwater Metro, River Tunnel Crossing In Just 45 Seconds

Commercial services for India’s first underwater metro train commenced on 15 March, marking a momentous milestone in Kolkata's transport landscape.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro’s East-West corridor earlier in the month, ushering in the country’s first underwater metro services.

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 underground section of the corridor spans 10.8 km, including the vital 520 m underwater tunnel, and was executed by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation.

The underground stretch between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade recorded a staggering 70,204 passengers on its first day. Notably, Howrah station, situated at the deepest point in India's metro network, saw 20,923 passengers boarding, while Howrah Maidan registered 23,444 boardings. Mahakaran and Esplanade stations recorded 13,453 and 12,384 originating passengers, respectively.

The under-river tunnel, spanning 520 metres, offered commuters a captivating glimpse of illuminated walls as the train traversed beneath the Hooghly River, creating a surreal aquatic ambience. The journey through this tunnel took approximately 45 seconds, reports The Economic Times.

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 m below ground level at the tunnel's bottom, which is 36 m 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.

Presently, the Kolkata Metro network spans 47.93 km, encompassing the North-South, East-West, and Joka-Esplanade corridors.

Additionally, an extension of 13.27 km is envisaged, with recent inaugurations including the 4.80 km East-West Metro stretch from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, a 1.25 km extension from Taratala to Majerhat, and a 5.4 km stretch of the New Metro Corridor from Kavi Subhas to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay.