'Historic Moment': Kolkata Metro Rake Becomes 1st in India To Run Underwater

A Kolkata metro rake running through a tunnel under the Hooghly river on Wednesday, 11 April.

(Photo: PTI)

Kolkata Metro scripted history on Wednesday, 12 April, by becoming the country's first metro rake to run through an underwater tunnel, officials said.

The rake, which had only officials and engineers on board, ran under the Hooghly river from Kolkata to Howrah.

Senior officials onboard the Kolkata metro rake as it runs through a tunnel under the Hooghly river. 

(Photo: PTI)

An official said that the test run was a "revolutionary step" in providing modern transportation to the people of Kolkata and nearby districts.

Metro Railway General Manager P Uday Kumar Reddy was onboard the rake, which travelled from Kolkata's Mahakaran station to the Howrah Maidan station. Later, another metro rake reached the Howrah Maidan station via the same route.

"Trial runs between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade station will be conducted for the next five to seven months, following which regular services on this stretch will begin," Reddy said, adding that the trial run on the 4.8 km-stretch in the underground section would start soon, news agency PTI reported.

The metro railway general manager further said that this is the deepest rail network in the country and required tremendous skill to construct and run it.

After the metro becomes fully operational, Howrah Maidan will be the deepest metro station in the country at 33 metres below the surface. Currently, Delhi's Hauz Khas Village Metro Station is the deepest at 29 metres below the surface.

The metro is expected to cover a 520-metre stretch under the Hooghly in just 45 seconds, officials said.

Completion of the project had been delayed due to accidents in Kolkata's Bowbazar area. "We took a decision, instead of waiting for the whole route to be cleared, we have focused on the route that is clear now," Reddy stated.