India’s Kolkata Metro achieved a historical feat as it became the country’s first to run under a river.
A Metro rake ran below river Hooghly (a major tributary of river Ganga in eastern India) between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade metro stations, officials informed on Wednesday.
Up until 1912, Kolkata (then Calcutta) was the capital of India, after which the British imperial rulers moved it to New Delhi, about 1500 km to its west.
“Kolkata Metro created another history on 12.04.2023.
After a long wait Country’s first Metro has run under the mighty river Hooghly today.
For the first time in India Metro has completed the river journey,” the official statement said.
“P Uday Kumar Reddy, General Manager, Metro Railway travelled from Mahakaran to Howrah Maidan station in Rake No. MR-612 to witness this historic event.
This rake crossed river Hooghly at 11:55 hrs. Reddy offered puja at Howrah station once the rake reached there,” it added.
The trial runs from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade and will be conducted for the next seven months.
“Later, Rake No MR- 613 was also taken to Howrah Maidan station.
The General Manager has informed us that they will conduct trial runs from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade for the next 7 months, terming it a historic event.
“It said regular services on this stretch will begin after that.”
Earlier in the year 2022 Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) said that the East-West Metro Corridor project.
They expect to complete India’s first underwater metro service by December 2023.