PM inaugurates India's 1st underwater metro in Kolkata: 9 things to know

Produced by: BT Desk Designed by: Manoj Kumar

First such metro

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro's East-West corridor on Wednesday, the country's first venture into underwater metro services. Source : ANI

Under any mighty river

[{"selector":"#anim-a34c48e1-8529-4bdd-9c40-b7e30905a80f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-33.05840929118229%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] An engineering marvel, the network is touted to be the first transportation tunnel "under any mighty river in India" with the deepest metro station in the country -- the Howrah Metro station.

Trial journey

[{"selector":"#anim-e62ed581-2239-4f55-b6db-1d96b51fbe3d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-11.961183957512281%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Nestled under the Hooghly river, Kolkata Metro touched a milestone in April 2023 as its rakes completed a trial journey under the bed of Hooghly through a tunnel 32 metre below the water level for the first time in India.

British connection

[{"selector":"#anim-9971a43b-82b3-45c2-a0ec-57d1d7f82199 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-33.70791220862465%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] The idea of having an underwater transportation system on the lines of London was first mooted by the British in 1921. But the idea was shelved after failed soil tests.

Vital connector

Spanning a 4.8-km stretch between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade, it forms a vital segment of the East-West Metro corridor, connecting areas such as the IT hub Salt Lake Sector V. Source : ANI

Problems surface

[{"selector":"#anim-47bb7883-898e-450c-9b89-fdb47d8d86e3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-35.69457764832001%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] The project suffered delays owing to an aquifer burst at Bowbazar in central Kolkata on August 31, 2019, leading to severe ground subsidence, the collapse of several buildings there and two more water leakage incidents at the same site in 2022 during tunneling and construction work.

Built at cost of...

[{"selector":"#anim-aee0b20b-297b-4e42-901a-522ba57bee03 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The 4.8-km stretch of East-West Metro from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade has been built at a cost of Rs 4,965 crore. Of the total 16.6 km of the East-West Metro corridor, 10.8 km is underground, including the tunnel beneath the river.

Under the river, in just 45 secs

[{"selector":"#anim-c58dd126-1392-46b2-9845-dffe6ebc93aa [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.66575248471824%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] A Metro train is expected to traverse the 520-metre stretch under the river in just 45 seconds. It would also benefit people coming from Hooghly, Howrah and Medinipur.

Operational for...

[{"selector":"#anim-969afbf4-222d-4d0a-8f63-7d514e558395 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(13.14825335893712%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The Salt Lake Sector V to Sealdah stretch of the corridor is commercially operational at present.

Related Stories How distance and defence keep south India out of missile range 'Cover for capital': How safe is Delhi from a Pakistani missile? Sun Strikes: Filament blast on May 7 reminds us Earth is always in the crosshairs ‘The Israeli Edge’: The weapons that gave India invisible dominance over Pakistan