India's first underwater train to be operational by 2023 in Kolkata

India's first underwater train is all set to be fully operational by 2023 in Kolkata. The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) made a way under the Hooghly River. The East and West corridors will be connected by a twin tunnel over 500 metres. The train will be 13 metres below the Hooghly River.

The train will run at a depth equal to a 10-storey structure while underwater. The tunnel was built with 1.4-metre wide concrete rings, which will be part of the metro station. The tunnel will have hydrophilic gaskets which will help in preventing water from entering the tunnel.

The train will help in reducing the travel time. The Kolkata Green Line currently runs between Phoolbagan and Sector V in just 6.97 kilometres. The new train will help in reducing the travel duration between Sector V to Howrah.

The project cost roughly Rs 8,600 crores and this is a one-of-a-kind underwater metro train which is built in India and is compared to Eurostar which joins London and Paris.

The Hauz Khas in Delhi is currently one of the deepest metro stations and has a depth of 29 metres. The construction of the new metro station in Howrah will replace it as the deepest station at 33 metres deep.