Fish-moving-in-water effect in store for East-West metro tunnel travellers

January 10, 2024 | < 1 min read

**The water-and-fish effect, as seen from inside a metro train running along the tunnel under the River Hooghly on the east-west route** *(Screengrab from a video released by Kolkata Metro Railway)*

The unique feature of the soon-to-be-inaugurated East-West Metro, in its final stretch, is the pair of subaqueous tunnels under the River Hooghly, 350 metres downstream of Rabindra Setu (popularly called Howrah Bridge).

This is India’s first underwater tunnel along a metro railway route.

To make the experience of the 45-second underwater metro ride more realistic, the inner walls of the tunnels will be lit up with blue lights, making it seem like there is water all around the moving train. Another fun feature of the ride will be 40 glowing fishes which will look like they are swimming next to the train during the trip.

These special lighting set-ups inside the two 520-metre-long tunnels have been designed by the internationally renowned Phillips.