Kolkata Metro scripted history by becoming the first metro in India to operate through the tunnel under the Hooghly river, running from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade. With reportedly four stations along the way – Esplanade, Mahakaran, Howrah, and Howrah Maidan – the journey through the tunnel takes just 45 seconds. The tunnel will also reduce travel time between Howrah and Sealdah to just 40 minutes, compared to 90 minutes by road. The new route will not only help ease congestion but also revolutionize travel in Kolkata, providing a faster, more efficient means of transportation.
People are hailing the landmark achievement of Kolkata Metro and taking to social media to express their admiration for the project. We have compiled a few Twitter reactions below.
The 520-meter-long tunnel, which is 13 meters below the riverbed and 33 meters below the ground level, is a part of the East-West Metro Corridor of Kolkata. This corridor stretches from the IT hub of Salt Lake Sector V in the east to Howrah Maidan in the west across the river. Notably, Kolkata was the first Indian city where the metro services kicked off.