Prime Minister Narendra Modi threw open India's first underwater Metro link, connecting Kolkata and its twin city Howrah. Later he undertook an under-river ride with a group of lucky schoolkids, but the average Kolkata citizen would have to wait a little more to avail this facility, said Metro sources.
The new lines (the PM inaugurated two other Metro lines apart from the under-river section) would be thrown open to all in seven to 10 days, said sources. Trains in the newly opened Esplanade-Howrah stretch will run at an interval of 12 minutes or less during rush hours. The East-West Metro, of which 2.5 km is still incomplete, will be fully operational by Oct-end, they added.
About 103 years ago, in 1921, a British engineer of Indian origin, Sir Harley Dalrymple-Hay, had dreamt of connecting the vibrant east (Kolkata) with the bustling west (Howrah). PM Modi made this a reality by taking the under-river ride from East-West line’s 30m-deep Esplanade station (India’s second-deepest Metro station) with 100-odd schoolchildren.