After a prolonged delay of over two years, construction has finally begun on the Kidderpore station of Kolkata Metro’s Purple Line. The project had been stuck due to the unavailability of land inside the Kolkata Armed Police premises at Alipore Bodyguard Lines. With formal inspections completed and necessary clearances granted, preliminary construction has now commenced, unlocking a crucial bottleneck in the development of the 14-kilometre Joka-Esplanade corridor.
Metro Rail officials and engineers from the implementing agency conducted site inspections earlier this week, identifying an 837 square metre section of land within the police barracks. This land, essential for both road widening and underground infrastructure, will facilitate the station’s construction beneath Diamond Harbour Road. A temporary road widening of 5 metres along a 380-metre stretch will allow smoother traffic and future-proofed connectivity, with plans to restore sections post-construction. As per urban planning norms, this development marks a key milestone for transit-oriented infrastructure in the city. The station will not only cater to growing commuter demand in the Kidderpore-Alipore belt but also serve as an interchange boost to the wider metro ecosystem once connected to the Blue Line at Esplanade. This underscores Kolkata Metro’s commitment to enabling eco-friendly, high-capacity urban mobility solutions while optimising underutilised government-owned land parcels.
Project officials have identified key structures on the site that need relocation, including storage godowns, an underground reservoir, and utility lines. In line with inter-agency cooperation, the civic body will re-lay sewer lines along the modified route. A compensation of Rs 45 crore has been paid to facilitate this realignment, while a few temporary structures, including a temple and an office, will be shifted to alternative locations in a phased manner. Urban transit analysts view this clearance as a positive precedent for addressing land acquisition challenges in dense cityscapes. According to officials, the final station design will be tailored to the available land footprint, ensuring minimal disruption to existing facilities while enhancing connectivity for thousands of daily commuters from Behala and surrounding areas.
With underground tunnelling already progressing at other key Purple Line locations such as Victoria and Park Street, the commencement of work at Kidderpore fills a crucial gap. It also signals renewed momentum for sustainable metro rail development in Kolkata, where legacy land-use issues have often delayed transport upgrades. As the city seeks smarter and greener mobility solutions, such projects reflect a larger commitment to achieving zero-emission public transport goals. For citizens, it translates into faster commutes, lower emissions, and more inclusive access to city spaces. The success of the Kidderpore station could serve as a blueprint for overcoming administrative and spatial hurdles in future metro expansions.
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