East-West Metro, a 48745.8 rupees () (US$779.9) project to connect Kolkata with Howrah by an underwater metro line was given the go-ahead by the central government. The length will be 14.67 km (8.9 km underground and 5.77 km elevated). This line will be constructed and maintained by a separate body named Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC). However, in January 2011 KMRC and the entire East West (EW) metro corridor, was taken over by the Ministry of Railways from the Ministry of Urban development and the state government of West Bengal. Now the EW Metro's majority stake is with the Indian Railways and the remainder is as a loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

The West Bengal government had earlier appointed Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited to conduct a feasibility study of the project, after which the government had to then put the project on hold due to funding issues. The underwater metro plan was thought of when the first metro service was inaugurated in Kolkata in 1984 by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The route is to cover 12 stations and go under the river through a tunnel. The foundation stone was laid on 22 February 2009.

The construction of line 2 started in March 2009. The East-West Metro will run from Salt Lake Sector 5 (in the east) to Howrah Maidan (in the west). Trains will be air conditioned, and underground stations will be equipped with platform screen doors. It will run on standard () gauge, unlike line 1, which runs on broad () gauge.

Between Mahakaran and Howrah Station, the metro will run under the Hooghly River — the first underwater metro in India. The line will be elevated between Salt Lake Sector 5 and Yuva Bharati Krirangan, and the remaining stretch will be underground. Transfer stations will be located at Sealdah and Howrah.

The first phase is planned to be operational in September 2015.

సౌకర్యాలు, సేవలు
ఇన్‌ఫ్రాస్ట్రక్చర్
స్మార్ట్ కార్డ్
లైన్ 2 (ఈస్ట్-వెస్ట్ మెట్రో)