India's first underwater metro to be ready by 2023 end

India's first underwater metro train will take commuters across Hooghly river.

Kolkata/New Delhi: History is set to be created as Kolkata gears up to welcome the country's first underwater metro train that will enable commuters to travel across the Hooghly river that flows between Kolkata and Howrah, its smaller twin city on the opposite bank. If things go as planned the underwater metro line will open for public by 2023 end. Let's hear the story from our correspondent Anamika Ratna.

Under this project, half a km stretch of the 17 km journey will be covered under the Hooghly river and work is going in full swing. The central government is hopeful that the first phase of this project will be ready by 2023 and commuters will be able to travel on it. The underwater metro rail, which is being built at a cost of around Rs 8,5000 crores, will enable commuters from Kolkata to travel beyond the Hooghly river.

Railways are working round the clock to complete this project but there are many challenges in the last phase which is the underground Hooghly river. Railways have worked hard in bringing this world-class technology to India while the state government has extended necessary help.

After completion, this will be a unique mode of transport as the metro will travel under a river for the first time in India. Although the distance of this six-station metro is about 16 km and the expenditure is about Rs 8,5000 crore, the estimated cost of the underwater half a kilometre stretch is Rs 90 crore.

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The work of the first phase of this underwater metro is almost completed and is scheduled to start operating in 2023. While travelling on it, our correspondent Anamika Ratna talked to Aditya Chaudhary, CPRO of South Eastern Railway, who told the work of the first phase of this metro is almost complete and will be thrown open for commuters very soon.

The underwater metro will make it convenient for passengers travelling from Howrah to Salt Lake. Commuters coming from the Kolkata side can easily cross the Hooghly river to reach Howrah.