Kolkata Metro underwater tunnel: The construction of the country’s first underwater tunnel in the city of Kolkata under the Hooghly river is underway and will be made fully functional by the year 2023. This underwater tunnel will establish metro connectivity between Howrah and Kolkata. Of the 16.6 kilometre long east-west stretch, 520 metres long section will be under the river bed, according to an ANI report. The underwater tunnel corridor is developed 33 meters below the riverbed and will link Kolkata to Howrah. The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) is constructing the Kolkata East-West Metro Line and the underwater tunnel that will go beneath the Hoogly river.
Mithun Ghosh, the site supervisor, was quoted in the report saying that there will be walkways in the tunnels for evacuation of passengers in case of emergency. Besides, important passage work has been done as well, considering that if a technical problem arises inside the water tunnel area, commuters can be taken out of the tunnel through the special passage. Ghosh further said that nearly 80 per cent of the development work of the East-west Howrah Metro station is already completed and the full-fledged service is expected to start in the year 2023. The metro station is being constructed under the Hooghly river at a depth of 33 meters. So far, 80 per cent of the construction work has been completed while 20 per cent of work is yet to be finished. By 2023, it will start functioning, he added.
Earlier, it was reported that the Kolkata Metro East-West line will link the Howrah metro station and Mahakaran metro station. Passengers commuting between these two metro stations will spend nearly one minute under the river. The Kolkata Metro train is said to run at a speed of 80 km per hour. The upcoming underwater tunnel of the Kolkata Metro rail network will provide a unique travelling experience for passengers.