A new tramway service, partly underground and partly underwater, has been planned between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade in West Bengal. The underground tramway system covering five stations, namely Esplanade, Mahanagar, Strand Road, Howrah Station, Howrah Maidan, over a distance of 3.5 km also includes a 700-metre long under river channel south of the Howarh Bridge. The Calcutta Tramways Company has already prepared a project report for the Rs 300 crore transportation system. 
    The project has been designed such that it does not affect the navigational channel or the normal flow of river Hooghly. A tunneling method will be employed for the subway to be built at an average depth of 100 feet, with the width of 5.5 metres widening to 10 metres at the stations.
    Several funding agencies have shown keen interest in the project. A German firm is interested in investing in Kolkata's overall infrastructure development. The service would enable commuters to travel between the two train stations in 12 minutes, in fully air-conditioned light railway transit or modern tram system.