**Executive Summary**
On July 10, 2026, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Durga’ achieved a breakthrough at Victoria Station, completing the Khidderpore-Victoria underground stretch of the Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor. This milestone, along with the recent completion of the Chingrighata viaduct, advances Kolkata Metro’s expansion to improve city-wide connectivity. Key future actions include the induction of approximately 60 new-generation Metro trains over the next four to five years.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Purple Line Breakthrough (Joka-Esplanade Corridor)**
* TBM ‘Durga’ successfully completed the underground tunnel drive between Khidderpore and Victoria.
* The tunnelling process lasted exactly one year, having commenced on July 10, 2025.
* The project was executed with high safety and quality standards while ensuring minimal disruption to surface traffic.
* The corridor aims to link southern Kolkata with the central business district to reduce road congestion and travel time.
**Orange Line Progress (Kavi Subhash-Airport Corridor)**
* A critical 62-metre viaduct gap was bridged at Chingrighata on May 25, 2026.
* The completion of this link followed the resolution of long-standing traffic diversion permission issues and legal clearances from the High Court and Supreme Court.
**Network Expansion and Modernization**
* Since 2014, 45 km of new Metro network has been commissioned in Kolkata, compared to 28 km prior to 2014.
* The Union Minister for Railways announced the planned induction of 60 new-generation Metro trains within the next 4–5 years.
* Ongoing reviews focus on passenger feedback and travel experiences to improve urban mass transit services.
**Impact Analysis**
**Kolkata Residents and Commuters**
**Impact**
Commuters will benefit from strengthened east-west connectivity, faster travel times, and more sustainable public transport options. The expansion specifically improves access between southern parts of the city and the central business district.
**Action Required**
Commuters are encouraged to utilize the expanded network as segments become operational to ease road congestion.
**Ministry of Railways / Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation**
**Impact**
The successful breakthroughs and viaduct completions mark significant engineering milestones and maintain momentum in the city's metro expansion.
**Action Required**
The Ministry must oversee the induction of 60 new-generation trains over the next 4–5 years and continue monitoring the progress of the remaining Joka-Esplanade and Orange Line sections.
**Project Engineers and Staff**
**Impact**
Technical teams have demonstrated engineering excellence through precision planning and the successful operation of TBM ‘Durga’.
**Action Required**
Staff must continue to maintain high standards of safety and quality as they transition to the next phases of the underground and viaduct construction.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The primary central ministry responsible for the oversight, funding, and development of the Kolkata Metro expansion projects.
Kolkata Metro: The urban mass transit system and implementing body for the significant infrastructure projects including the Purple and Orange lines.
Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor: Also known as the Purple Line, this major infrastructure initiative aims to improve connectivity between southern Kolkata and the central business district.
Ashwini Vaishnaw: The Union Minister for Railways who reviews metro progress and announced the future induction of 60 new-generation metro trains.
Kavi Subhash-Airport Corridor: Also known as the Orange Line, it is a key metro expansion project currently overcoming construction bottlenecks to link critical city transit points.
Ministry of Railways
TBM 'Durga' Achieves Breakthrough on Kolkata
Metro's Purple Line, Advancing Underground
Connectivity on Joka-Esplanade Corridor
Corridor to Strengthen East-West Connectivity, Reduce Travel
Time and Road Congestion Across Kolkata
Khidderpore-Victoria Underground Tunnel Completed One
Year After Tunnelling Began, Marking Another Engineering
Milestone for Kolkata Metro
Latest Achievement Follows Chingrighata Viaduct
Completion and Continued Momentum in Kolkata Metro
Expansion
प्रव तथ: 10 JUL 2026 5:53PM by PIB Delhi
Kolkata Metro achieved a significant milestone with the successful breakthrough of Tunnel Boring
Machine (TBM) 'Durga' at Purple Line of Kolkata Metro, marking the completion of one of the
underground tunnel drives between Khidderpore and Victoria on the Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor.
The breakthrough, achieved today, is a key step towards strengthening Kolkata's urban mass transit
network and advancing one of the city's most important Metro expansion projects.
Engineering excellence beneath the city. 🇮🇳
TBM Durga achieves breakthrough at purple line of Kolkata Metro.
Congratulations to the team! pic.twitter.com/V8ITtyqS7n
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 10, 2026Key Highlights:
TBM 'Durga' successfully achieved a breakthrough at Victoria Metro Station.
Marks the completion of the Khidderpore-Victoria underground tunnel, with tunnelling having
commenced on 10 July 2025.
The achievement reflects engineering excellence, precision planning, and seamless coordination
among all stakeholders.
The tunnelling work was executed while maintaining high standards of safety and quality, with
minimal disruption to surface traffic.
The Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor will significantly improve east-west connectivity across
Kolkata by linking the southern parts of the city with its central business district.
The corridor is expected to provide faster, safer and more sustainable public transport, reducing
travel time and easing road congestion.The successful breakthrough of TBM 'Durga' builds on a series of important milestones achieved by
Kolkata Metro within 50 days.
Earlier, Kolkata Metro successfully bridged the critical 62-metre viaduct gap at Chingrighata on the
Kavi Subhash-Airport (Orange Line) corridor, removing a major construction bottleneck and paving
the way for faster progress towards completing the line.
We have successfully bridged the 62-metre viaduct gap at Chingrighata – a
critical link on Kolkata Metro’s Orange Line.
TMC kept it stalled for years by refusing basic traffic diversion permissions. Even
after the High Court and Supreme Court cleared the project, the work still… pic.t
witter.com/EUC9DHL34e
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) May 25, 2026
Subsequently, during his visit to Kolkata, Union Minister for Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw
reviewed the progress of Metro expansion projects. He travelled by Metro from Jai Hind Bimanbandar
to Noapara station, interacted with fellow passengers to understand their travel experience and gather
feedback on Metro services, and met Metro staff.View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ashwini Vaishnaw (@ashwini.vaishnaw)
The Minister also visited the Chingrighata project site, where he reviewed the recently completed
viaduct work and appreciated the pace of execution. During the visit, he announced the induction of
around 60 new-generation Metro trains over the next 4-5 years and highlighted that 45 km of new
Metro network has been commissioned in and around Kolkata since 2014, compared to 28 km before
2014.View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ashwini Vaishnaw (@ashwini.vaishnaw)
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Dharmendra Tewari/ Ritu Raj/ Manik Sharma
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