Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section of the Kolkata Metro. This section includes India’s first underwater transportation tunnel beneath the Hooghly River. During the inauguration, PM Modi rode a metro train from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan and talked with school students along the way.
The tunnel showcases India’s engineering prowess. PM Modi returned to the Esplanade station via the same route, accompanied by the Leader of the Opposition in the state, Suvendu Adhikari.
PM Modi Inaugurates Kolkata Metro Section Amidst Enthusiastic Crowd
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from a large crowd at the Esplanade metro station in Kolkata. People cheered and chanted slogans like ‘Modi Modi’ and ‘Jai Shri Ram’. However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not attend the program.
It’s a very special day for the people of Kolkata as the city’s metro network gets significantly enhanced. Connectivity will get a boost and traffic will get decongested. It’s a proud moment that the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade Metro section has the first underwater metro… pic.twitter.com/7DYviRa7Tb
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 6, 2024
During the event, PM Modi also laid the foundation for multiple connectivity projects valued at ₹15,400 crore. The 4.8-km Esplanade-Howrah Maidan stretch, part of the East-West Corridor, was constructed at a cost of ₹4,960 crore.
Additionally, PM Modi unveiled metro projects in various cities nationwide, totalling around ₹15,400 crores. The PM also opened 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, which is the country’s oldest metro network.
Highlights About India’s First Underwater Metro in Kolkata
- The Kolkata Metro’s Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section is India’s first underwater transportation tunnel. It features the deepest metro station in the country, the Howrah metro station, which is 30 meters underground.
- The 4.8-kilometre stretch between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade is crucial to the East-West Metro corridor, linking significant areas such as the IT hub Salt Lake Sector V.
- According to Metro Railway, the East-West Metro’s 4.8-kilometre stretch from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade was constructed at the cost of ₹4,965 crore.
- Out of 16.6 kilometres of the East-West Metro corridor, 10.8 kilometres are underground, including the tunnel beneath the river. There are 12 stations along the entire route.
- The train is anticipated to cover the 520-meter stretch under the river in just 45 seconds, providing both speed and efficient transportation, thereby improving Kolkata’s connectivity and urban mobility.
- As reported by TOI, ticket prices start at ₹5 and can go up to ₹50 based on the distance to the station. The fare begins at ₹5 for the first two kilometres and then gradually increases to ₹10, ₹15, ₹20, ₹25, and up to ₹50.
PM Modi Inaugurates Multiple Metro Sections and Projects Nationwide
In addition to the underwater metro, PM Modi also opened the Kavi Subhash – Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro section and the Taratala – Majerhat Metro section, part of the Joka-Esplanade line. The Prime Minister also virtually flagged off several other important projects across the country, including 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, and the Agra Metro’s stretch from Taj East Gate to Mankameshwar. Moreover, the inauguration included projects like the Pune Metro and Esplanade Metro-Kolkata.
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