The dream of Under the River Metro journey in India is going to be fulfilled very soon as East-West Metro is all set to ply under the river Hooghly in this year. Commuters of East-West Metro Corridor which will connect Howrah Maidan with Salt Lake Sector V will be able to thoroughly enjoy this Under the River Metro Journey. The twin subaqueous tunnels located 350 metres downstream of Rabindra Setu (Howrah Bridge) have been burrowed with the help of Earth Pressure Balancing Tunnel Boring Machines through pre-dominantly stiff clayey silt. Construction of this engineering marvel has been completed in record 66 days time and under the river length of this tunnel is 520 metres. These magnificent tunnels will connect two century old cities Howrah and Kolkata under the river Hooghly which was unthinkable a few years ago.
Metro Authorities are making elaborate arrangements to make this underwater journey,which will last for approx 45 secs of all passengers memorable.Though the non-transparent tunnels are circular bored tunnels of internal diameters 5.55 metres having 275 mm thick RCC segmental permanent liners, still commuters will have the feeling that they are travelling under the river Hooghly. For this, special illumination of the inner walls of the tunnels under the river with blue lights has been arranged in order to give the effects of water around the moving rake. Apart from that, illuminated fishes will be swimming around the rake during this journey. 40 such illuminated fishes will be swimming on the inner walls of the tunnels. This special arrangement has been made by Internationally famous multinationals Phillips.
Metro Railway is also thinking of some special sound effects in this section to make this unique journey a riveting one.
Kausik Mitra,Chief Public Relations Officer,Metro Railway started this in a release.
