Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first under-river metro tunnel in Kolkata, nearly four decades after metro services began in the country. The metro tunnel has been built under Kolkata’s Hooghly River that will connect Howrah Maidan to Esplanade. Kolkata was also the first city in India to have an operational metro system, in 1984. Trains will pass under a 520-metre river stretch in just 45 seconds, making commuting easier for residents in both cities. PM Modi also took a metro ride from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan along with school children.View of the India's first underwater metro train, in Kolkata. Prior to the inauguration, school students had expressed happiness over travelling with PM Modi in India’s first underwater metro service.

The 4.8km stretch of the East-West Metro in West Bengal has been built at a cost of Rs 49.65bn (£470m), according to an official release. The Kolkata Metro is targeting June-July to start commercial operation in the entire route of East-West alignment between Salt Lake Sector V and Howrah Maidan. It is pertinent to mention here that metro rail services are now available in 15 cities across India, with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation covering an extensive 393km across the Capital city New Delhi.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)