By 2023, Kolkata is on track to host the first underwater train in India. A way was made for the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) beneath the Hooghly River. A twin tunnel spanning meters will connect the East and West corridors. The Hooghly River will be 13 meters below the train.
Underwater, the train will travel at a depth equivalent to a ten-story building. Concrete rings 1.4 meters wide, which will be a part of the metro station, were used to construct the tunnel. Hydrophilic gaskets in the tunnel will aid in preventing water from getting inside.
The travel time will be shortened by the train. Only 6.97 kilometers separate Phoolbagan from Sector V on the Kolkata Green Line at the moment. The new train will shorten the distance between Sector V and Howrah.
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Construction of the first underwater train in India
The unique underwater metro train built in India will cost about Rs 8,600 crores. It is compared to the Eurostar that connects London and Paris. The new line in Kolkata is anticipated to improve urban connectivity, reduce traffic congestion, and give thousands of daily commuters a cleaner form of transportation.
Howrah Metro Station will be 33 m deep and will be the deepest in India. With a depth of 29 meters, the Hauz Khas metro station in New Delhi is currently the deepest in the country. The tunnels will also have exits in case of emergencies like earthquakes.
Also recently opened was a new underground metro station for the East-West Corridor. Smriti Irani, a minister in the Union, inaugurated it. The Railway will also get four more underground stations: Mahakaran, Esplanade, Howrah, and Howrah Maidan. The tunnel will cross the Hooghly River between the stations of Mahakaran and Howrah in just under a minute.
