Engineering Marvel: Know about India's first underwater metro rail

India News Image credits: X

Inauguration

PM Modi will inaugurate India's first underwater metro rail tunnel during his visit to West Bengal's Kolkata on March 6, 2024. Image credits: X

Kolkata Metro extension project

This project aims to connect Salt Lake to Howrah via Kolkata with a stretch below the Hooghly River. The underwater metro is part of the East-West Metro corridor. Image credits: X

Length

The bottom part of the newly-built tunnel is 26 metres from the river’s surface. The trains will ply 16 metres below the riverbed. Image credits: X

Who built the tunnel?

Construction major Afcons and Russian company Transtonnelstroy jointly built the tunnel. Afcons dug the Hooghly tunnels in April 2017 and completed them in July 2017. Image credits: X

Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system

Employing an innovative Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system, the metro ensures efficient and seamless transit, with plans to commence commercial operations. Image credits: X

Station excavated to depth of 30.5 meters

To align with the 40-mtr deep under-river tunnels, the station had to be excavated to a depth of 30.5 meters. Image credits: X

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