Kolkata: The East-West Metro project that will connect Salt Lake Sector V with Howrah Maidan overcame the most challenging phase of its work with the completion of underground tunnels below the mighty Hooghly river in just 66 days.
The two tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) had started work from April 14 from Howrah. On June 20, it completed its work, giving Kolkata the distinction of being the first city in India to have transportation in a tunnel under a river. The TBM is working 30 metre below the riverbed, and has covered 520 metre to cross the river.
“The two tunnel boring machines Rachana and Prerana have successfully connected the sister cities of Howrah and Kolkata under the river in only 66 days. We have already obtained the permission of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to take up construction work for the project within 100 metre of the heritage buildings,” KMRCL managing director Satish Kumar said.
Beth El Synagogue, David Maghen Synagogue and Currency Building are the three heritage sites in the proposed metro corridor.
