Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today threw open the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro’s East-West corridor bringing India in the elite list of countries having underwater metro rail system.
The Howrah Metro station located beneath the River Hooghly is the country’s deepest station with tunnels extending 32 meters below the water level.
Managed by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL), a section of 10.8 kilometers operates underground, while 5.75 kilometers is elevated on a viaduct. With the inauguration, Kolkata has joined the list of few world cities like New York and Shanghai that currently have the underwater Railway services.
The concept of an underwater transportation system in Kolkata traces back to 1921 when the British first proposed the idea. However, soil tests yielded negative results, leading to the abandonment of the project. The idea resurfaced in the 1980s but faced numerous challenges before finally being sanctioned in 2008.
Construction work began in 2009 after being sanctioned by the UPA government. Political hurdles and cost escalation caused delays, but despite the setbacks, the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section now forms a vital segment of the East-West Metro corridor.
In April last year the Kolkata Metro achieved a significant milestone when its trains successfully underwent a trial run beneath the Hooghly River bed, traversing a tunnel located 32 meters below the water level. Following the inauguration on Wednesday, the commencement of services for public will happen at a subsequent date.