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In a groundbreaking event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate India’s inaugural underwater metro and launch connectivity projects totaling Rs 15,400 crore in Kolkata today, March 6. The key highlight of this momentous occasion is the opening of the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade Metro section, featuring the country’s first under-river tunnel, fulfilling a dream envisioned by the city’s residents over 53 years ago.
The projects to be inaugurated and initiated include the Kolkata Metro’s Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section, Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro section, Taratala-Majerhat Metro section (a part of the Joka-Esplanade Line), Pune Metro’s Ruby Hall Clinic to Ramwadi stretch, Kochi Metro Rail Phase I Extension project (Phase IB) from SN Junction Metro station to Tripunithura Metro station, Agra Metro’s Taj East Gate to Mankameshwar stretch, and the Duhai-Modinagar (North) section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor. Train services on these sections will also be flagged off by the Prime Minister.
PM Shri @narendramodi's public programmes in West Bengal and Bihar on 6th March 2024.
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📺https://t.co/4XQ2GzrhRl pic.twitter.com/z1MvGCGNpT— BJP (@BJP4India) March 5, 2024
The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade Metro section boasts the country’s first transportation tunnel beneath a mighty river, with a 1.2 km stretch 30 meters below the Hooghly River. This significant engineering feat is part of the East-West Metro Corridor project, covering a total distance of 16.6 km, of which 10.8 km is underground.
The historical significance of connecting two centuries-old cities, Howrah and Kolkata, under the Hooghly River is underscored by the Indian Railways, under which the Metro Railways functions. The 4.8-km stretch from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, constructed at a cost of Rs 4,138 crore, features the deepest metro station in India at Howrah.
#WATCH | India's first underwater metro rail service in Kolkata set to be inaugurated by PM Modi on 6th March pic.twitter.com/ib5938Vn8x
— ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2024
The completion of these projects is expected to alleviate mass transport challenges in the region, ease traffic congestion, and enhance air quality by reducing the carbon footprint. Furthermore, the rail budget outlay for West Bengal in the 2024-25 fiscal year stands at Rs 13,810 crore, marking a significant increase of 215% compared to the average budget outlay from 2009 to 2014.
As India continues to invest in transformative infrastructure projects, the inauguration of the underwater metro and the launch of connectivity projects exemplify the government’s commitment to advancing urban mobility and fostering sustainable development.
