Kolkata Metro becomes India’s first metro train to run under river: Kolkata Metro has reached a historic milestone by becoming India’s first metro train system to complete an under-river voyage. The metro rakes travelled via an underwater tunnel beneath the Hooghly river, with the general manager, P Uday Kumar Reddy, riding in rake No. MR-612 from Mahakaran to Howrah Maidan station at 11:55 a.m. Senior officers, including the Additional General Manager and MD of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL), H N Jaiswal, also accompanied him during the historic journey. After reaching the Howrah station, Reddy performed a puja, and rake No MR- 613 was also taken to the Howrah Maidan station. Flowers were sprinkled and coconuts were broken to celebrate this achievement.
April 2023 Current Affairs Quiz
About the metro:
- The Kolkata Metro is designed to travel the 520-meter distance beneath the Hooghly River in 45 seconds. The tunnel, which is 32 metres below earth, is set to begin trial runs on the 4.8-kilometer underground segment from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade soon. The four stations on this stretch include Esplanade, Mahakaran, Howrah, and Howrah Maidan.
- Once operational, Howrah will become the deepest metro station in the country, situated 33 meters below the surface. Commercial services are expected to begin later this year. Currently, the East-West Metro Corridor (Green Line) is operational between Salt Lake Sector V and Sealdah stations over a stretch of 9.3 km. The Howrah Maidan to Esplanade stretch will provide an interchange point at Esplanade with the North-South Corridor (Blue Line).
- The first subaqueous tunnel rail system in India connects the Howrah station complex located on the west bank of the Hooghly river to Armenian Ghat on the east bank.
About the Kolkata Metro:
The Kolkata Metro is a rapid transport system that serves the city of Kolkata (previously Calcutta) in India. It is India’s oldest metro system, with the first line operating in 1984. The system is operated by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) and currently consists of a single operational line, the North-South Corridor (Blue Line), running from Noapara to Kavi Subhash stations over a distance of 27.2 km. The East-West Corridor (Green Line) from Salt Lake Sector V to Phoolbagan has also been partially opened for commercial operations. The metro is a popular mode of transportation in Kolkata and carries millions of passengers every day.