India's First Underwater Metro Tunnel in Kolkata Wows Riders with Artistic Delights.

Published on 7 March 2024, by Alankrita Mukherjee | Kolkata, India.

India's inaugural underwater metro tunnel beneath the Hooghly river in Kolkata amazed passengers with special light effects and fish paintings. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section, taking a ride and interacting with students and construction workers.

During the journey, riders admired the realistic aquatic scenes, expressing excitement and appreciation. Piyush, a student, shared, "The paintings of fishes and the lights have been done so beautifully that for a moment I thought it was real. The experience was awesome."

Supreet Kaur, a teacher, mentioned that students showcased paintings reflecting Kolkata's cultural heritage on the trip. Bandish Mukherjee, a school student, remarked, "This trip will be a memorable one for me."

The 4.8-km Esplanade-Howrah Maidan stretch includes two parallel tunnels running 37 meters below the river, featuring the deepest metro station in the country. These tunnels are engineering marvels due to their depth, curvature, and design.

Prime Minister Modi shared his experience on social media, stating, "The metro journey was made memorable thanks to the company of these youngsters and those who worked on this project. We also travelled through the tunnel under the Hooghly river."

India's First Underwater Metro Tunnel in Kolkata, West Bengal

Acknowledging the significance of the project, PM Modi said, "It's a very special day for the people of Kolkata as the city's metro network gets significantly enhanced. Connectivity will get a boost, and traffic will get decongested."

The East-West Metro Corridor project, spanning 16.6 km from Sector V in Salt Lake to Howrah Maidan, is currently operational in two parts. The Sealdah-Esplanade section is under construction and expected to be operational in about a year.

"This line will connect Howrah and Sealdah railway stations, two of the busiest rail stations in the world,” said Kausik Mitra, Chief Public Relation Officer of Kolkata Metro Railways, emphasizing the positive impact on mass transport, traffic congestion, and air quality.