Kolkata Metro makes history with first-ever under-river journey

The Kolkata Metro has created history by successfully completing its first-ever journey under the Hooghly river. The General Manager of Metro Rail, P Uday Kumar Reddy, travelled on rake no MR-612 from Mahakaran to Howrah Maidan station to witness this historic event. Accompanied by Additional GM of Metro Railway and MD of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRCL), HN Jaiswal, and other senior officers, Reddy offered puja at Howrah station upon arrival. The KMRCL staff and engineers, who worked tirelessly to achieve this engineering marvel, were thrilled to see their dreams come to fruition.

Kolkata Metro creates History!For the first time in India,a Metro rake ran under any river today!Regular trial runs from #HowrahMaidan to #Esplanade will start very soon. Shri P Uday Kumar Reddy,General Manager has described this run as a historic moment for the city of #Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/sA4Kqdvf0v

— Metro Rail Kolkata (@metrorailwaykol) April 12, 2023

The General Manager announced that trial runs from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade would be conducted for the next seven months before regular services on this stretch. Once this stretch is open, Howrah will be the deepest metro station in the country, 33 meters below the surface. It is expected that commercial services on this 4.8-km underground section will begin later this year.

Kausik Mitra, the Chief Public Relations Officer of Metro Rail, expressed his delight at this “revolutionary step” in Kolkata’s transport system, which has been achieved despite several hurdles. The metro is expected to cover the 520-meter stretch under the Hooghly river in just 45 seconds, as the tunnel under the river is 32 meters below the river bed. This milestone event will undoubtedly pave the way for more such feats in the future.