The Paper's reporter Zhu Zhe reported comprehensively
According to foreign media sources such as The Times of India and India Net, India's first underwater subway project is under construction and is scheduled to be put into use in March 2023.
Just as the Eurostar crosses the English Channel, the "Kolkata East-West Metro Line" will cross the Hooghly River, connecting the two cities of Kolkata and Howrah, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, and it is also India's first underwater subway.
Schematic diagram of the Kolkata East-West Metro Line
The Total Length of the East-West Metro Project is about 16.6 km, with six stations each underground and elevated. The underground tunnel, with a total length of 10.8 km and a width of 5.5 m, is a set of underground double-track tunnels that will cross the Hooghley River for about half a km, it is located 13 meters below the riverbed, made of concrete that reduces water permeability, and there will be sidewalks in the tunnel to evacuate passengers in case of emergency.
Schematic diagram of the East-West Metro Line in Kolkata
Several metro stations have been built, and in mid-July, Federal Minister Smriti Irani presided over the opening of the Sealdah station.
Opening ceremony of Silda Station
This underground system will bring a qualitative leap forward to India's modern transportation. Normally, it takes about 20 minutes to cross the river by ferry, and up to 30 or 45 minutes on the ground, however, under the river, it is estimated that passengers can reach Mahakalan Station from Howland in less than a minute. Officials estimate that about 900,000 passengers ride the metro every day, accounting for 20 percent of the total number of commuters in kolkata's metro.
It takes about 20 minutes to cross the river by ferry
Kolkata was the first city in India to introduce a metro, and with the implementation of the new project, it will also establish its important position as a transportation landmark in the country.
Editor-in-charge: Zhu Zhe
Proofreader: Ding Xiao