Kolkata Metro creates history as first rake runs under river Hooghly

The first rake of the Kolkata Metro arrived at the Howrah Maidan under the Hooghly River on Wednesday, according to officials.

“Kolkata Metro created another history on 12.04.2023. After a long wait Country’s first Metro has run under the mighty river Hooghly today. For the first time in India Metro has completed the river journey,” the official statement said. “P Uday Kumar Reddy, General Manager, Metro Railway travelled from Mahakaran to Howrah Maidan station in Rake No. MR-612 to witness this historic event. This rake crossed river Hooghly at 11:55 hrs. Reddy offered puja at Howrah station once the rake reached there,” it added.

On the occasion, General Manager P Uday Kumar Reddy informed that trial runs from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade will be conducted for the next seven months.

“Later, Rake No MR- 613 was also taken to Howrah Maidan station. Terming it a historic event, General Manager has informed us that the trial runs from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade will be conducted for the next 7 months and after that regular services on this stretch will begin,” it said.

He further stated that the operationalization of commercial services on the stretch can be expected in the year 2023.

“Soon the trial runs on the 4.8 kms underground section from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade will begin. It is expected that commercial services on this stretch will begin this year. Once this stretch is open then Howrah will be the deepest Metro station (33 meters below the surface) in the country. The Metro is expected to cover the 520-meter stretch under the river Hooghly in 45 seconds. This tunnel under the river is 32 meters below the water level,” it said.

The East-West Metro Corridor project, India’s first underwater metro service, is expected to be completed by December 2023, according to the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) earlier in the year 2022.