Kolkata (Metro Rail News): On 12 April 2023, The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) created history by successfully conducting the trial of the country’s first underwater metro rail in Kolkata by its Howrah Maidan journey through the tunnel inside the Hooghly River in Rake No. MR-612 at 11:55 hrs.
The General Manager of Metro Railway of Kolkata, P Uday Kumar Reddy, travelled from Mahakaran to the Howrah Maidan station and described the journey as a “historic event.”
He was accompanied on this journey by Shri H. N. Jaiswal, Additional General Manager for Metro Railway and MD of KMRCL, along with other senior Metro Railway and KMRCL executives.Â
When the rake arrived at Howrah station, Shri Reddy performed pooja. After that, Rake No. MR-613 also headed to Howrah Maidan station.
 The underground stretch is 4.8 km, and Howrah metro station is the deepest metro station at 33 m below the surface in India.
The Metro is expected to cover 520 meters under the Hooghly River in 45 seconds. Moreover, The underwater journey from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade will be conducted in trial runs for the next seven months, after which regular services on the route will be operational.Â
KMRCL officials say about 9.1 km of the East-West Metro line between Salt Lake Sector V and Sealdah is already operational.
