Breakthrough advances Joka–Esplanade Metro Corridor, boosting urban connectivity, easing congestion and accelerating Kolkata Metro expansion

Key Highlights

• Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Durga’ has successfully completed the underground tunnel between Khidderpore and Victoria on Kolkata Metro’s Purple Line.
• The breakthrough marks the completion of one of the key tunnel drives on the Joka–Esplanade Metro Corridor, exactly one year after tunnelling began.
• The corridor will strengthen east-west connectivity by linking south Kolkata with the city’s central business district.
• The project is expected to reduce travel time, decongest roads and promote sustainable urban mobility.
• The latest achievement follows the recent completion of the Chingrighata viaduct on the Orange Line and continued expansion of Kolkata Metro.

TBM ‘Durga’ Completes Underground Tunnel on Kolkata Metro Purple Line

Kolkata, July 10, 2026: Kolkata Metro has achieved another significant engineering milestone with the successful breakthrough of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Durga’, completing the underground tunnel between Khidderpore and Victoria on the Joka–Esplanade (Purple Line) Metro Corridor.

The breakthrough marks the completion of one of the most critical underground tunnel drives on the corridor, exactly one year after tunnelling commenced on July 10, 2025, further accelerating the expansion of Kolkata’s urban rapid transit network.

Major Progress on Joka–Esplanade Corridor

The successful breakthrough at Victoria Metro Station represents an important step towards completing the Joka–Esplanade Metro Corridor, which is expected to significantly improve connectivity between southern Kolkata and the city’s commercial centre.

The project has been executed with high engineering precision while maintaining stringent safety standards and ensuring minimal disruption to road traffic during construction.

According to the Ministry of Railways, the corridor will deliver:

• Faster and more reliable urban transport.
• Improved east-west connectivity across Kolkata.
• Reduced road congestion.
• Shorter travel times.
• Sustainable and environmentally friendly public transportation.

Momentum Builds for Kolkata Metro Expansion

The Purple Line breakthrough comes amid steady progress across Kolkata Metro’s expansion programme.

Recently, Kolkata Metro successfully completed the 62-metre Chingrighata viaduct gap on the Kavi Subhash–Airport (Orange Line) corridor, removing one of the project’s major engineering bottlenecks and paving the way for faster execution.

During his recent visit to Kolkata, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed multiple Metro projects, travelled on the Metro network, interacted with passengers and inspected construction progress at the Chingrighata site.

The Minister also announced that nearly 60 new-generation Metro trains are expected to be inducted over the next four to five years. He noted that 45 kilometres of new Metro network have been commissioned in and around Kolkata since 2014, reflecting the city’s rapidly expanding mass transit infrastructure.

Engineering Excellence Underground

The completion of the Khidderpore–Victoria tunnel demonstrates the increasing use of advanced tunnelling technologies in India’s metro rail projects.

The successful deployment of TBM ‘Durga’ highlights the engineering capabilities involved in constructing underground transport infrastructure beneath densely populated urban areas while minimising disruption to existing roads and utilities.

The breakthrough also moves the Joka–Esplanade project closer to operational readiness, bringing Kolkata a step nearer to a more integrated and efficient public transport system.

Hospitality & Travel Tourism Impact

The continued expansion of Kolkata Metro is expected to deliver significant benefits for the city’s hospitality and tourism sectors. The Joka–Esplanade Metro Corridor will improve access to key commercial districts, heritage attractions, business centres, educational institutions and cultural landmarks, making travel more convenient for both domestic and international visitors.

For hotels, restaurants, convention venues and tourism operators, enhanced metro connectivity can encourage higher visitor footfall, support business travel and reduce dependence on road transport. Faster and more reliable public transport also strengthens Kolkata’s appeal as a destination for leisure tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), heritage tourism and city exploration, while contributing to a more sustainable urban tourism ecosystem.