Kolkata’s metro network is set for another expansion with the invitation of bids worth nearly ₹378 crore for the Purple Line’s southern extension from Joka to IIM Calcutta. Officials confirmed that the tender covers the construction of a 1.7-kilometre viaduct and a new metro station, with work expected to begin by November once contracts are finalised.
The project is part of a broader vision to strengthen Kolkata’s urban mobility backbone and integrate distant educational and residential hubs with the city’s transit system. The new IIM Calcutta station will be designed with provisions for a future link to the proposed Joka–Diamond Park corridor. Contractors will be required to build 44 pillars and complete the station within a 30-month timeline, indicating that services could become operational by the end of the decade. Experts in metro planning highlighted that the extension holds strategic significance not only for the institute but also for the growing residential clusters along Diamond Harbour Road. By providing seamless connectivity to one of India’s premier business schools, the Purple Line strengthens its role as a lifeline for South Kolkata and adjoining suburbs.
Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), the implementing agency, has earmarked land belonging to the Public Works Department near the IIM Calcutta campus for the new station. The site is situated around 20 kilometres from Howrah, 18 kilometres from Sealdah, and 35 kilometres from the airport—distances that have often posed travel challenges for students, professionals, and local residents. Once integrated, passengers arriving from the airport will be able to interchange at Esplanade to reach the Purple Line directly, reducing dependence on road travel. The Purple Line, originally planned as a 14.1-kilometre stretch from Joka to Esplanade, is now expanding in both directions. Its northern reach will extend 1.6 kilometres beyond Esplanade to Eden Gardens, positioning the corridor as a key connector to the city’s upcoming multi-line hub at Esplanade. With the IIM Calcutta extension, the corridor will eventually stretch 18 kilometres, housing 14 stations aligned parallel to the city’s main North–South Blue Line.
Officials noted that the new corridor will ease congestion, encourage public transport adoption, and reduce the city’s carbon footprint by drawing commuters away from private vehicles. Urban mobility experts observed that each metro extension in Kolkata not only improves accessibility but also contributes to equitable and sustainable growth in a city grappling with rising pollution and traffic bottlenecks. As Kolkata continues to modernise its public transport, the Purple Line’s expansion underlines the push to create an eco-friendly, inclusive, and future-ready metro system that can meet the demands of a rapidly growing metropolis.
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