Kolkata gears up for deep dive, India’s first submarine train to start next year

Kolkata: India’s first undersea tunnel, built 33 meters below the Hooghly River, is expected to be fully functional by next year i.e. 2023. To include the twin tunnels, Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) has extended its East-West Corridor, which crosses the Hooghly River for approximately 500 meters. The East-West metro section will be India’s first undersea tunnel – India’s version of the Eurostar’s London-Paris corridor.ALSO READ – American woman with expired visa engages in assault and abuse to blackmail parents back to US: Delhi police

Recently, the East-West Corridor introduced its new underground metro station at Sealdah which was inaugurated by Union Minister Smriti Irani. The line would now be extended to include four more metro stations at Esplanade, Mahakaran, Howrah and Howrah Maidan. The tunnel will cross the Hooghly River between Mahakaran and Howrah stations, in just about a minute. Also Read – Process is Punishment in Indian Criminal Justice System, Says CJI NV Ramana

East-west double underground tunnel project. Key things to know

• The project is completed at the expenditure of around Rs. 8600 crores and may be functional by March next year.
• Howrah metro station will be 33 meters deep and will be the deepest metro station in the country. Currently, Delhi Metro’s Hauz Khas is the deepest at 29 meters deep.
• The tunnel will sit 13 meters below the bed of the Hooghly River and is made of a material which is said to reduce water permeability.
• The tunnel will also have escape doors for emergencies such as an earthquake.

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The project is the first of its kind in India. It is said that around 9 lakh passengers travel by this metro every day which is 20% of the total metro commuters in Kolkata. Are you ready for deep diving, Kolkata?