New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated India’s first underwater metro line in Kolkata and took a metro ride with school students.

In a video shared by the BJP on its official X account, PM Modi was seen interacting with students during the metro ride from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan.

He also spoke to the workers involved in the construction of the project.

PM Shri @narendramodi travels aboard India’s first underwater Metro in Kolkata, West Bengal. https://t.co/oUe7IAtkz8

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 6, 2024

He was accompanied by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar.

India’s First Underwater Metro In Kolkata

The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro’s East-West corridor is India’s first venture into underwater metro services.

The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section also has the deepest metro station in the country — the Howrah Metro Station.

It is nestled under the Hooghly River, which separates the twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah.

#WATCH | India’s first underwater metro rail service in Kolkata set to be inaugurated by PM Modi on 6th March pic.twitter.com/ib5938Vn8x

— ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2024

Kolkata Metro touched a milestone in April last year as its rakes completed a trial journey under the bed of Hooghly through a tunnel 32 metre below the water level for the first time in India.

Spanning a 4.8-km stretch between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade, it forms a vital segment of the East-West Metro corridor, connecting key areas such as the IT hub Salt Lake Sector V.

The 4.8-km stretch of East-West Metro from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade has been built at a cost of Rs 4,965 crore.

Of the total 16.6 km of the East-West Metro corridor, 10.8 km is underground, including the tunnel beneath the river.

A Metro train is expected to traverse the 520-metre stretch under the river in just 45 seconds.

According to officials, the work for the East-West corridor began in 2009 and tunneling under Hooghly commenced in 2017.

The Salt Lake Sector V to Sealdah stretch of the corridor is commercially operational at present.

PM Modi Inaugurates Various Projects

During the function at the Esplanade metro station, PM Narendra Modi also inaugurated the Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section of the New Garia-Airport line and the Taratala-Majerhat section of the Joka-Esplanade line of the Kolkata Metro, the country’s oldest metro network.

PM Shri @narendramodi inaugurates, dedicates & lays foundation stone of projects in Kolkata, West Bengal. https://t.co/hnB7UjSikB

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 6, 2024

PM Modi also inaugurated the Duhai-Modinagar (North) section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor, Pune Metro’s Ruby Hall Clinic-Ramwadi stretch, Kochi Metro’s SN Junction to Tripunithura section, and Agra Metro’s Taj East Gate-Mankameshwar section.

He also laid the foundation stone for the extension of the Pune Metro between Pimpri Chinchwad and Nigdi.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate India’s first under-river metro tunnel built in Kolkata tomorrow.

In a monumental development set to transform urban transportation, PM Modi is slated to inaugurate several key metro and rapid transit projects across countries, marking a significant stride towards enhancing urban mobility and connectivity.

The Kolkata Metro extension, featuring the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade Metro section, includes the first transportation tunnel in India to pass under a major river, representing a critical milestone in the country’s infrastructure development.

This section not only showcases the technological prowess involved in its construction but also highlights the strategic importance of connecting two bustling areas of Kolkata, enhancing the city’s public transportation network’s efficiency and reach.

In addition to the underwater metro, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Kavi Subhash – Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro section and the Taratala – Majerhat Metro section, which is part of the Joka-Esplanade line.

The latter features the Majerhat Metro Station, an architectural marvel being an elevated station spanning railway lines, platforms, and a canal, further showcasing the innovative approach towards improving urban mobility.

The inauguration event will not be limited to Kolkata. The PM Modi is set to flag off several other important projects across the country.

These include the Pune Metro’s stretch from Ruby Hall Clinic to Ramwadi, the Kochi Metro Rail Phase I Extension from SN Junction Metro station to Tripunithura Metro station, the Agra Metro’s stretch from Taj East Gate to Mankameshwar and the Duhai-Modinagar (North) section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor.

Each of these projects is designed to significantly ease road traffic congestion and provide seamless, efficient, and comfortable connectivity for the public. For instance, the newly inaugurated section of the Agra Metro is poised to enhance access to the city’s historical and tourist sites, while the RRTS corridor aims to stimulate economic activity within the National Capital Region (NCR).

Furthermore, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the extension of the Pune Metro Rail project phase 1 between Pimpri Chinchwad Metro-Nigdi, promising continued expansion and enhancement of urban transit infrastructure.

This comprehensive initiative underscores the government’s dedication to developing sustainable and efficient transportation networks across India, aiming to revolutionize the way people commute, reduce environmental impact, and bolster economic growth through improved connectivity.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)