In Kolkata on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened India's first underwater metro station. In the City of Joy, he also rode the metro underwater with schoolchildren.

When the prime minister arrived at the Esplanade metro station, a sizable crowd greeted him. People could be heard chanting "Jai Shri Ram" and "Modi Modi." Additionally, Modi set the groundwork for other ₹15,400 crore connectivity projects.

Important details of this undersea metro tube are as follows:

 1. The nation's first underwater transit tunnel is located in the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade segment of the Kolkata Metro. With a depth of 30 meters, the Howrah metro station is the deepest in all of India.

2. The 4.8 km section of the East-West Metro track that runs between the Howrah Maidan and the Esplanade is essential. It links important locations, such as Salt Lake Sector V, the IT hub.

3. The 4.8-kilometer East-West Metro route from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade was constructed for ₹4,965 crore, according to the Metro Railway.

4. According to a PTI article, 10.8 km of the 16.6 km East-West Metro corridor—including the tunnel under the river—are underground. The entire route consists of 12 stops.

5. The train is anticipated to cross the 520-meter section beneath the river in approximately 45 seconds, providing not only speed but also a smooth and timely means of transit, hence improving Kolkata's urban mobility and connection.