India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened the country’s first partially underwater metro line during a trip to Kolkata to inaugurate a number of new lines.

The underwater metro is part of Howrah Maidan to Esplanade metro in Kolkata and goes under the Hooghly river, connecting the twin cities with a 520m tunnel. 

Modi described it as a “proud moment” to ride the through the underwater tunnel, saying: “It’s a very special day for the people of Kolkata as the city’s metro network gets significantly enhanced. Connectivity will get a boost and traffic will get decongested.” 

In addition to the Howrah to Kolkata connection, Modi also inaugurated the Kavi Subhash to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay and the Taratala to Majerhat sections of the Kolkata metro, a new stretch of the Pune Metro, and a stretch of the Agra Metro. 

The Prime Minister also opened the Kochi Metro Phase I extension project and the Duhai to Modinagar (North) section of the Delhi to Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Corridor, flagging off trains along the routes. 

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Modi’s visit to Kolkata is part of a continued focus on expanding India’s rail infrastructure, with metro services now in operation in 15 cities in the country. 

The visit comes not long after the PM flagged off the first RRTS service in October, with the first RAPIDX train on the Sahibabad to Duhai section of the $4bn project, which now runs between the country’s capital Delhi and Meerut.