Kolkata’s underground is no longer just a transit zone—it’s becoming an art gallery beneath the city. Over the past year, several metro tunnels and station corridors have been transformed with vibrant murals and large-scale street art installations.
The initiative, driven by local artists and supported by municipal authorities, is reimagining what urban public space can be. Instead of sterile, grey walls, commuters now walk through corridors filled with Bengali folk art, surreal dreamscapes, and bold contemporary visuals.
What makes this project exciting is its inclusivity. Artists range from emerging talents to seasoned muralists, and themes span across cultural heritage, environmental awareness, and abstract storytelling. One tunnel features a series on Tagore’s poetry, while another showcases climate change through distorted cityscapes.
Commuters are engaging with the art in ways that extend beyond admiration—posing for photos, sharing reels, and even adding QR codes to access artist interviews and digital content.
This transformation is not just aesthetic; it’s psychological. These colorful tunnels bring a sense of calm and curiosity to otherwise rushed routines. It turns the daily commute into a visual journey—and for many, it’s their first real interaction with public art.
In Kolkata, the metro is no longer just a means to an end—it’s a moving gallery, pulsing with creativity underground.