India is set to witness the inauguration of its first underwater metro rail service in Kolkata today. It will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi.
The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section, an innovative addition to the metropolis’s transportation network and touted as India’s first transportation tunnel beneath a mighty river, features the deepest metro station in the country—Howrah Metro station.
Nestled beneath the River Hooghly, separating the twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah on its east and west banks, this achievement stands as a testament to engineering ingenuity.
Underwater transportation first proposed in 1921
Researchers note that the concept of an underwater transportation system, akin to London’s, was initially proposed by the British in 1921.
Spanning a 4.8-km stretch between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade, it forms a crucial segment of the East-West Metro corridor, connecting key areas such as the IT hub Salt Lake Sector V.
As per a press release from the Metro Rail, the 4.8-km East-West Metro stretch from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade has been constructed at a cost of Rs 4,965 crore and will house India’s deepest metro station at Howrah—30 meters below ground level.
Connectivity before underwater metro rail service
The underwater metro services represent the fifth project linking Kolkata and Howrah, separated by the River Hooghly. The earlier four projects include:
- Vivekananda Setu: 1931
- Rabindra Setu: 1943
- Vidyasagar Setu: 1992
- Nivedita Setu: 2007
- East-West Metro: 2024
Vivekananda Setu is a bridge over the Hooghly River, Rabindra Setu (formerly Howrah Bridge) is a steel bridge, and Vidyasagar Setu is a cable-styled toll bridge. The latest addition is Nivedita Setu, an extradosed bridge over the Hooghly River.
Today marks the connection of the cities through India’s first underwater metro services.
