In a historic move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s maiden under-river metro tunnel in Kolkata on March 6th. The East-West Metro corridor, spanning a 16.6 km route and encompassing a 4.8 km segment between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade, proudly boasts a 520-metre under-river tunnel beneath the Hooghly River.
Key HighlightsÂ
Strategic Under-River Passage: The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section strategically traverses under the Hooghly River, connecting the east and west banks housing Kolkata and Howrah City. This engineering marvel facilitates a swift journey with the metro covering a 520-metre stretch beneath the river in just 45 seconds.
East-West Metro Expansion: This 4.8 km stretch, constituting the second section of the East-West Metro corridor, spans from Howrah Maidan to the IT hub Salt Lake Sector V. Impressively, out of the total 16.6 km length, 10.8 km is an underground corridor between Howrah Maidan and Phoolbagan, featuring the ground-breaking tunnel beneath the Hooghly River, while the remaining stretch stands as an elevated corridor.
Commercial Operation Target: The Kolkata Metro envisions commencing commercial operations on the entire East-West alignment, spanning Salt Lake Sector V to Howrah Maidan, by June-July. Commuters in Kolkata will benefit from this massive development, which is set to redefine metro connectivity and enhance the commuting experience. In addition to the inauguration of the under-river tunnel, PM Modi marked several other significant metro projects across India. These include the Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section of the New Garia-Aiport line, the Taratala-Majerhat section of the Joka-Esplanade line, the Duhai-Modinagar (North) section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor, the Ruby Hall Clinic-Ramwadi stretch of Pune Metro, the SN Junction to Tripunithura section of Kochi Metro, and the Taj East Gate-Mankameshwar section of Agra Metro. In addition, the PM laid the foundation stone for the extension of the Pune Metro line between Pimpri Chinchwad and Nigdi. This monumental leap in Kolkata’s metro infrastructure aligns with India’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge transportation solutions, enhancing connectivity, and embracing sustainable urban development.
