Underwater Metro Kolkata: Metro runs under water for the first time in India - Here is all you need to know

Underwater Metro Kolkata: Kolkata witnessed a historic moment on Wednesday as a trial run of Kolkata Metro was conducted successfully through an underwater tunnel beneath the Hooghly River in the route connecting Esplanade in central Kolkata with the iconic Howrah station. Only senior officials and select engineers of Kolkata Metro were on board during the trial run, the first in the history of the nation.
 

Here's everything you need to know about Kolkata's underwater metro:

The trial runs between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade station. The Metro is expected to cover the 520-metre stretch under the river Hooghly in 45 seconds, an official said, adding that this tunnel under the river is 32 metres below the water surface level.

The metro route between Howrah and Sealdah cuts down the travel time to 40 minutes as against 1.5 hours by road. It will also ease congestion at both ends.

Once this stretch becomes operational, Howrah Maidan will be the deepest Metro station - 33 meters below the surface - of the country.

The East-West Metro corridor connecting Howrah Maidan and Sector V, the Information Technology hub in Salt Lake, is partially operational - between Sealdah and Sector V stations.

Completion of the project has been delayed owing to accidents in the Bowbazar area of central Kolkata.
 
Out of the 16.6 km length of East-West Metro, the underground corridor constitutes 10.8 km between Howrah Maidan and Phoolbagan with the tunnel passing below the Hooghly River, while the rest is the elevated corridor, according to a KMRC official.