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Kolkata Metro’s Purple Line: TBM ‘Divya’ Completes Final Tunnel Breakthrough at Victoria
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 13 Aug 2026, 10:39 AM
👁 30
The Tunnel Boring Machine ‘Divya’ has finished the second tunnel on the Khidderpore‑Victoria stretch of Kolkata’s Joka‑Esplanade Purple Line, marking a key milestone toward resuming construction of the delayed metro line.
The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) named ‘Divya’ has successfully completed the second tunnel on the Khidderpore‑Victoria segment of the Joka‑Esplanade Purple Line in Kolkata. The breakthrough marks the final tunnel completion for this stretch, a critical step that will allow construction to resume on the delayed metro line.
The Purple Line, which connects Joka in the south to Esplanade in the north, has faced multiple delays due to technical and logistical challenges. With the second tunnel now finished, engineers can begin the next phase of work, which includes lining, ventilation, and station construction.
City officials have welcomed the progress, noting that the completion of the tunnel reduces the remaining construction time and brings the project closer to its original target of opening the line for public use. The metro authority has indicated that work will continue without further major interruptions.
The TBM ‘Divya’ was launched from the Khidderpore station and has been operating for several months, navigating through the complex underground environment of central Kolkata. Its successful operation demonstrates the advanced engineering capabilities being applied to the city’s expanding transit network.
The Purple Line, which connects Joka in the south to Esplanade in the north, has faced multiple delays due to technical and logistical challenges. With the second tunnel now finished, engineers can begin the next phase of work, which includes lining, ventilation, and station construction.
City officials have welcomed the progress, noting that the completion of the tunnel reduces the remaining construction time and brings the project closer to its original target of opening the line for public use. The metro authority has indicated that work will continue without further major interruptions.
The TBM ‘Divya’ was launched from the Khidderpore station and has been operating for several months, navigating through the complex underground environment of central Kolkata. Its successful operation demonstrates the advanced engineering capabilities being applied to the city’s expanding transit network.