India's first-ever underwater metro likely to be completed by June 2023

The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) on Monday said that the East-West corridor project, which will be India's first underwater metro service, is expected to be completed by June 2023.

The metro line, which will connect Salt Lake to Howrah via Kolkata with a stretch below the Hooghly river, is currently operational between Sector V and Sealdah stations.

According to news agency PTI, the KMRC said, "Target for commissioning of the balance section from Sealdah to Howrah Maidan is June 2023."

Of the total 16.55 km length of the project, 9.30 km length between Sector V and Sealdah is operational. The remaining 7.25 km length is likely to be operational within less than a year's time, it added.

Completion of the project will bring a huge relief to lakhs of commuters as it will connect the busy Howrah and Sealdah railway stations as well as the North-South Line of the Kolkata Metro at Esplanade. The train is like to reduce the travel time for commuters significantly. Currently, the Green Line in Kolkata covers a small distance of 6. 97 km between Sector V in east Kolkata, and Phoolbagan. However, with this initiative, the train will cover a larger distance from Sector V to Howrah, under the Hooghly river, in a mere 27 minutes.

The other attraction for the passengers will be the twin tunnels down the width of the river. For half a kilometre, the travellers will zip through below the water in less than a minute, providing them with a one-of-a-kind experience.

This is India’s very own version of Eurostar- trains between London and Paris that go through the channel tunnel.

(With inputs from PTI)