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Kolkata Metro Purple Line gets tunnel breakthrough between Khidderpore and Victoria
Kolkata Metro's Purple Line has achieved a tunnel breakthrough between Khidderpore and Victoria, marking a key milestone in the corridor's construction.
Kolkata Metro Purple Line tunnel breakthrough: Khidderpore-Victoria section hits key milestone (Image: Metro Railway)
Kolkata Metro’s Purple Line achieved a major milestone on Tuesday with the successful breakthrough of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Divya’ between Khidderpore and Victoria station.
The breakthrough marks the completion of the second underground tunnel between Khidderpore and Victoria on the Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor. TBM ‘Divya’ completed its 1.72-km tunnel drive from Khidderpore to Victoria. The tunnelling work began on October 11, 2025.
The latest breakthrough follows the earlier breakthrough of TBM ‘Durga’ on July 10. With both tunnel drives completed, work on the underground section of the Purple Line has moved another step forward.
Kolkata Metro Purple Line tunnel breakthrough: Khidderpore-Victoria section hits key milestone (Image: Metro Railway)
In a statement, the Kolkata Metro said TBM ‘Divya’ successfully achieved a breakthrough at Victoria Metro Station. The 6.60-metre-diameter machine is designed to work in Kolkata’s soft soil and high groundwater conditions.
It also said that the TBM is around 95 metres long and weighs nearly 600 tonnes. M50-grade precast concrete segments are being used to line the tunnel.
“The successful breakthrough of TBM ‘Divya’ is a testimony to the engineering excellence, meticulous planning, teamwork and dedicated efforts of all stakeholders associated with the project. This achievement represents another important step towards strengthening Kolkata’s urban transport infrastructure and providing commuters with faster, safer, reliable and sustainable Metro connectivity,” it said.
Kolkata Metro Purple Line tunnel breakthrough: Khidderpore-Victoria section hits key milestone (Image: Metro Railway)
Speaking on the occasion, the Prem Sagar Gupta, General Manager of Metro Railway, Kolkata, said the team maintained quality and safety standards while ensuring that surface traffic and normal activities in the densely populated area were not affected.
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Once completed, the Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor will further expand Kolkata’s Metro network and improve connectivity to the city’s central business district.
TBM 'DIVYA' Achieves Breakthrough at Victoria Metro Station
Another significant milestone in the construction of the Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor
1.72 Km
Total drive length, Khidderpore to Victoria
TBM & Tunnel Specifications
95 m
TBM Length
~600 Tons
TBM Weight
6.60 m
TBM Outer Diameter
5.80 m
Finished Tunnel Diameter
M50 / 275mm
Precast Segment Grade & Thickness
2 TBMs
Boring Twin Tube Tunnels
Key Construction Features
Launching Shaft: 37m length x 22m wide x 17m deep, constructed inside St. Thomas School, Khidderpore.
TBM Origin: Manufactured in Chennai, mobilized to Kolkata in March 2025 for assembling and lowering.
Route: Twin tube tunnels from Khidderpore to Park Street via TBM; beyond that, conventional Cut & Cover method.
EPB Technology: Earth Pressure Balancing TBMs used to handle Kolkata's high ground water table and soft soil.
Safety Features: Inflatable seal, pressure transducers, TSG lines and backup TSG pump as precautions for Kolkata's soil strata.
Source: Kolkata Metro
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