Kolkata Metro Purple Line: Land deal with Nepal Consulate clears path for Joka-Esplanade metro work

“The 409.53 sq metres of land is urgently required for construction of the ramp between Mominpur and Khidirpur… Prior to this, several meetings were held between 2022–2025 among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Government of Nepal), Ministry of External Affairs (Government of India), Metro Railway and RVNL at Kathmandu, New Delhi and Kolkata to ensure smooth exchange of this land,” said a metro official.

The issue arose because a plot belonging to the Nepal Consulate is located near Mominpur, sources said. The plan includes a ramp between Mominpur and Khidirpur, which falls below this land. Railways have begun efforts to transfer adjacent land under their possession to the Nepal Consulate.

After several rounds of meetings, the Government of Nepal gave its concurrence to the exchange. Several challenges had emerged during land acquisition for the project, with tenants, shop owners and others moving the Calcutta High Court and later the Supreme Court against the acquisition process. In the span of three years, all these cases have been disposed of, enabling acquisition and possession of the required land.

The MoU was signed at the RVNL Model Room at the Victoria station site in Kolkata by Jhakka Prasad Acharya, Consul General of Nepal, Kolkata; S K Dubey, Dy. Chief Engineer, Metro Railway; and Vipin Kumar, Chief Project Manager, RVNL, in the presence of Ashish Middha, Director and Head of Branch Secretariat, MEA, Government of India.

The Kolkata Metro Purple Line (Line 3), the Joka-Esplanade corridor, is a critical infrastructure project aimed at enhancing connectivity between the far south of Kolkata and the city’s centre.

The line is planned to span approximately 18 km, running from IIM Joka in the south to Eden Gardens in Esplanade, largely following Diamond Harbour Road and major central areas. It is currently partially operational on an elevated stretch between Joka and Majerhat, with weekday services. Once fully complete, the line will include both elevated and underground sections, with stations at Mominpur, Kidderpore, Victoria, Park Street and the central interchange hub at Esplanade, which will connect with the Blue Line (Line 1) and the Green Line (Line 2).

The complete operationalisation of the entire Purple Line corridor is targeted for late 2028 or 2029.