The Kolkata Metro project reached a significant engineering milestone on August 11, 2026, as the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Divya’ successfully completed its 1.72-kilometer drive. This breakthrough at the proposed Victoria Metro Station marks the completion of the second underground tunnel connecting Khidderpore and Victoria, a vital step in the development of the Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor.
Key highlights of the project progress:
- TBM ‘Divya’ completed its 1.72 km tunnel drive in exactly 10 months.
- The breakthrough follows the success of TBM ‘Durga’, which finished the parallel tunnel on July 10, 2026.
- Both machines began their excavation journey from Kidderpore.
- The project aims to connect Joka to Esplanade by December 2029.
Strategic Progress on the Purple Line
This achievement is a major boost for the Ministry of Railways’ efforts to expand Kolkata’s transit infrastructure. TBM ‘Divya’ had commenced its burrowing journey on October 11, 2025, while its counterpart, ‘Durga’, started earlier on July 10, 2025. Prem Sagar Gupta, General Manager of Kolkata Metro Railway, confirmed that the project is proceeding on schedule, bringing the city closer to a seamless connection between its southwestern outskirts and the central business district.
Next Steps for Tunneling
With the Khidderpore-Victoria section now fully tunneled by both machines, the project enters a new phase. Engineers will now focus on retrieving, dismantling, and re-entering the TBMs to excavate a further 900-meter stretch extending towards the Park Street Metro Station. Beyond the Park Street section, the construction methodology is set to shift to the conventional ‘cut and cover’ technique to navigate the complex urban landscape.
Currently, commuters are already benefiting from an 8-kilometer elevated section running from Joka to Majerhat. Once the full 14-kilometer corridor to Esplanade is commissioned in December 2029, it is expected to significantly reduce travel time and traffic congestion, providing a major relief to daily office-goers and students traveling through the heart of Kolkata.