Kolkata Metro reached a major milestone in its Purple Line expansion as the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Divya successfully broke through the concrete wall into the underground Victoria Station. Over a period of ten months, TBM Divya excavated a 2.65-kilometer tunnel stretching from Khidirpur to Victoria Memorial. This follows the breakthrough of its twin machine, TBM Durga, which completed the parallel tunnel along the same route last month.
Both TBM Durga and TBM Divya began tunneling operations in October last year from the St. Thomas School grounds in Khidirpur. The dual tunneling effort successfully navigated complex underground terrain, passing beneath the Adi Ganga river, the historic Victoria Memorial structure, and heavy high-rise buildings including the Tata Centre and Everest House. The successful completion of this twin-tunnel stretch brings Kolkata Metro closer to achieving commercial operations along the entire Joka to Esplanade Purple Line corridor by Diwali 2029.
Following a two-month monitoring period to assess soil stability and check for any potential side effects along the up and down lines, the TBMs will resume tunneling toward Park Street. The upcoming 914-meter stretch from Victoria to Park Street station will be completed using the TBM method, after which construction will transition to the cut-and-cover methodology. TBM Durga is expected to reach Park Street by December this year, followed by TBM Divya in March 2027.