India's First Underwater Metro Tunnel in Kolkata

The construction of India's first underwater tunnel under the Hooghly river in Kolkata for the metro connection between Howrah and Kolkata is underway. The project is expected to be completed by 2023.  The  520-meter of the 16.6-kilometer-long will be under the river bed. The tunnel corridor will connect Kolkata and Howrah and is 33 meters below the river bank. The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRCL) is constructing the Kolkata East-West Metro line, which is an underwater tunnel that will go beneath the Hooghly river.

Speaking on the facilities and safety measures being provided in the project, Mithun Ghosh, the Site Supervisor said that there will be walkways in the tunnels for evacuation of passengers in case of emergency.

He added that there will be pathways in the tunnels for passenger escape in the case of emergency. "Important Route work has also been completed with the intention that if a technical problem happens inside the water tunnel region, people may be transported out using the special passage," Mithun explained. He further stated that over 80% of the construction on the East-West Howrah Metro station has been finished and that full-fledged service will begin in 2023. "The station is being built at a depth of 33 meters beneath the Hooghly River. 80 percent of the work has been done, with the remaining twenty percent to be completed.” Mithun added.