Kolkata, April 13: The state of West Bengal achieved a milestone in transportation on Wednesday with the successful trial run of India’s first underwater metro.
The metro train completed its river journey under the iconic Hooghly River that connects Kolkata and Howrah cities.
Kolkata Metro creates History!For the first time in India,a Metro rake ran under any river today!Regular trial runs from #HowrahMaidan to #Esplanade will start very soon. Shri P Uday Kumar Reddy,General Manager has described this run as a historic moment for the city of #Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/sA4Kqdvf0v
— Metro Rail Kolkata (@metrorailwaykol) April 12, 2023
The trial run took place in Rake No. MR-612, from Mahakaran to Howrah Maidan station, where the general manager of Metro Railways, P Uday Kumar Reddy, accompanied by additional general manager H. N. Jaiswal, offered prayers at Howrah. Another rake, MR 613, was taken to Howrah Maidan station after that.
“This is a historic moment for Metro Railway as after overcoming many hurdles we have succeeded in running rakes beneath the Hooghly River. This is a revolutionary step,” said Kausik Mitra, CPRO/Metro Railway. The tunnel has been placed 32 meters below the water level, and the metro services are expected to stretch 520 meters under the river Hooghly in just 45 seconds.
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The trial run between Esplanade and Howrah Maidan covering a distance of 4.8 km will continue for the next seven months before the service is opened for regular passengers. Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) sources estimated the cost of this underwater metro to be approximately Rs 120 crore.
The underwater metro will significantly reduce travel time and ease the traffic congestion commuters face daily while travelling between Kolkata and Howrah. The project took a lot of planning and execution, given the complex nature of constructing tunnels under a river. The successful trial run marks a significant achievement in modernizing the transportation system and aligning it with global standards.
The underwater metro is expected to benefit millions, providing faster and safer connectivity between Kolkata and Howrah.
The successful trial run has paved the way for future projects that can harness the potential of the underwater tunnel system. The milestone will go down in history, highlighting India’s commitment to infrastructure development and technological advancements.
