Kolkata Metro Celebrates Major Breakthrough with TBM ‘Durga’
Kolkata Metro reached a landmark achievement with the successful breakthrough of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) named ‘Durga’ at the Purple Line, completing a crucial underground tunnel stretch between Khidderpore and Victoria on the Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor. This milestone, announced recently, is instrumental in enhancing Kolkata’s urban mass transit infrastructure and advancing one of the city’s most significant Metro expansion projects.
Engineering Marvel Beneath the City
The milestone was marked by the completion of tunneling work that began on July 10, 2025. The TBM ‘Durga’ reached the Victoria Metro Station, showcasing remarkable engineering excellence, precise planning, and exemplary cooperation among all stakeholders involved. Throughout the tunneling process, stringent safety and quality standards were adhered to, ensuring minimal disruption to surface traffic.
Integrating City Connectivity
The Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor is set to substantially improve east-west connectivity in Kolkata, linking the southern areas of the city with its central business district. This initiative promises to deliver faster, safer, and more sustainable public transport options, aimed at significantly reducing travel times and alleviating road congestion.
The breakthrough of TBM ‘Durga’ comes on the heels of several other key accomplishments by Kolkata Metro in just 50 days. Notably, the team recently succesfully bridged a vital 62-meter viaduct gap at Chingrighata on the Kavi Subhash-Airport (Orange Line) corridor, overcoming a major construction hurdle and facilitating quicker progress toward the line’s completion.
Ministerial Visit Highlights Metro Expansion Progress
During his recent visit to Kolkata, Union Minister for Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, conducted a review of the Metro expansion progress. He traveled from Jai Hind Bimanbandar to Noapara station, engaging with commuters to understand their experiences and gather feedback on the Metro services. At the Chingrighata project site, he expressed appreciation for the swift execution of the newly completed viaduct work.
In his address, the Minister announced plans to introduce around 60 new-generation Metro trains over the next four to five years. He also highlighted that since 2014, 45 kilometers of new Metro network have been commissioned in and around Kolkata, in contrast to just 28 kilometers in the preceding years.
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