Kolkata (Smart Transport News): Kolkata Metro’s successful underwater journey makes history. After its Wednesday rake run beneath the Hooghly river, the Kolkata Metro has reached a significant milestone. The metro rake has now completed its voyage beneath the river for the first time in the nation’s history. Two rakes in total, MR-612 and MR-613, have seen this important occasion. At 11:55 a.m., the MR-612 rake crossed the Hooghly river. Later, the Howrah Maidan station also received the rake No. MR-613.
To witness this historic occasion, P Uday Kumar Reddy, HN Jaiswal, Additional General Manager, Kolkata Metro, and MD, KMRCL, together with other top officers of Metro Railway and KMRCL, rode from Mahakaran to Howrah Maidan station in Rake No. MR-612.
“This is a historic moment for Metro Railway as after overcoming many obstacles we have succeeded in running rakes beneath the Hooghly river,” said Kausik Mitra, CPRO, Kolkata Metro in a statement. “This is a revolutionary step in giving the people of Kolkata and the suburbs a modern transportation system,” Mitra continued. This is a unique New Year’s gift from Indian Railways to the Bengali people.
The trial run between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade will soon begin and last for the following seven months. The commercial service will start upon the successful conclusion of the trial run and the inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. The 4.8 kilometre subterranean segment between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade is slated to commence regular metro service later this year.
The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade segment is a section of the East-West Corridor of the Kolkata Metro. Salt Lake Stadium, Howrah Maidan, Howrah Station Complex, BBD Bagh (Mahakaran), Esplanade, Sealdah, Phoolbagan, Bengal Chemical, City Centre, Central Park, Karunamoyee, and Salt Lake Sector-V would be among the 12 stations on the East-West Corridor after the opening of this section.