India's first underwater tunnel is set to be operational in the city of Kolkata in West Bengal by June 2023. The tunnel will be part of the East-West Metro corridor and will run beneath the Hooghly River.
The tunnel is approximately 16.6 km long and it will take approximately 45 seconds for a train to cross the entire length of the tunnel.
The tunnel will be equipped with the latest technologies and will be one of the most advanced Metro systems in the country.
The tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Kolkata's Howrah Station and Salt Lake City by almost 15 minutes. The tunnel will also be the first in India to feature an underwater Metro station.
The tunnel is being built with the help of a Rs 8,575 crore grant from the central government, and will be operated by the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC).
"The tunnel is essential for the East-West Corridor, & it was a key. The under the river alignment was the only alignment possible with residential areas & other technical issues involved," stated Sailesh Kumar, the General Manager (Civil) of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation.
"This metro route between Howrah & Sealdah cuts down the commute time to 40 minutes as against 1.5 hours by road. It'll also ease congestion at both ends," he also stated.
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