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Source-This post on India’s first underwater Metro line is based on the article “PM Modi unveils multiple metro projects, including Kolkata underwater corridor” published in “The Hindu” on 6th March 2024.
Why in the News?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated India’s first underwater metro line in Kolkata.
About India’s first Underwater Metro line
1. About– This underwater Metro line is a part of the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro’s East-West corridor.
2. Length of the section– Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section is 4.8 km long and goes under the Hooghly River through India’s first underwater transportation tunnel.
3. Tunnel specification-The tunnel is 13 meters below the riverbed and 33 meters below ground level. Its total length is 520 meters.
4. Connecting Places– This section connects Kolkata and Howrah, located on the east and west banks of the Hooghly River, respectively.
5. Deepest metro Station-This section will also have the distinction of having the deepest metro station in India at Howrah, which is 30 meters deep.
History of Kolkata Metro
1. About-It is India’s first rapid transit system, serving Kolkata and the wider Kolkata Metropolitan Region in West Bengal.
2. Started & Current Status– It was first operationalized in 1984. As of January 2023, it is the second busiest and fourth longest metro network in India.
Key facts about Hooghly River
1. About– The Hooghly River, also called the Bhagirathi-Hoogly and Kati-Ganga River, is a major river in West Bengal.
2. Length– It is a branch of the Ganges River, spanning approximately 260 kilometers.
3. Course:
a. It originates in Murshidabad, where the Ganga River divides into two branches.
b. The branch that flows through Bangladesh is known as the Padma, while the other branch, the Hooghly, flows through a densely industrialized region of West Bengal.
4. Rivers drain into Hooghly– Ajay, Falgu, Jalangi and Churni to the north and Rupnarayan, Mayurakshi, Damodar and Haldi to the south.
5. Important cities near it– Jiaganj, Azimganj, Murshidabad, and Baharampur.
UPSC Syllabus– Geography and Places in news
