Modi inaugurates India's first underwater metro rail service in Kolkata
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday unveiled India's first underwater metro rail service in Kolkata—the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section.
Spanning 4.8 kilometers and built at a cost of Rs. 4,965 crore, this project aims to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance air quality by minimizing carbon emissions.
According to the Metro Railway, the train will cover the 520-meter underwater stretch in a mere 45 seconds.
Here's what we know about the project.
First of its kind
Key features of the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section
The transportation tunnel, part of the East West Metro corridor, is the first of its kind in India.
"We are traveling about 16 meters below the level of the river water. It is a marvel. We are expecting a daily ridership of 7 lakh," Kolkata Metro Railway General Manager Uday Kumar Reddy told the ANI.
The tunnel passes beneath the River Hooghly.
Notably, the Howrah metro station is also the deepest in the country.
Background
History and challenges faced by the East-West Metro Corridor project
Initially proposed in 1921 by the British, an underwater transit system akin to London's was abandoned due to unsuitable soil conditions.
Construction on the East-West corridor began in 2009, with tunneling beneath the Hooghly River starting in 2017.
The project faced delays after an aquifer burst in central Kolkata on August 31, 2019, resulting in ground subsidence and building collapses.
Two more water leakage incidents occurred at the same site in 2022 during tunneling and construction.
Metro ride
PM Modi rides in underwater metro train with students
Following the inauguration, PM Modi took a ride in the metro train with students.
During the journey, he spoke with school students who were seated in the country's first underwater metro train at the Mahakaran metro station.
While the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section was inaugurated, passenger services are expected to start later.
Twitter Post
PM Modi interacting with students
#WATCH | West Bengal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels with school students in India's first underwater metro train in Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/95s42MNWUS
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2024
Modi's visit
PM inaugurates other train services in West Bengal
In addition to the underwater metro train, PM Modi, during the West Bengal leg of his 10-day tour, inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various other projects worth Rs. 15,400 crore in Kolkata.
He also launched other train services. These include the Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay and Taratala-Majerhat Metro sections to improve mobility.
He will address a public rally in Barasat in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district later in the day.
10-day tour
PM Modi's tour of 12 states
To recall, PM Modi on Monday embarked on a 10-day tour spanning 12 states and union territories for 29 inauguration and foundation stone laying programs ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The PM has been actively touring different states, inaugurating projects, and showcasing his government's achievements over the past decade in preparation for the general election.
Notably, the Modi government set a goal of winning 370 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).