The long-awaited Purple Line of Kolkata Metro is on track to be completed by 2028-29, with significant steps being taken to ensure its timely rollout. The entire 14km stretch of the line, crucial to enhancing the city’s metro connectivity, is expected to provide seamless travel and better infrastructure for residents and visitors alike.
Metro officials recently confirmed that the tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) for this stretch, sourced from Germany’s Herrenknecht and currently being assembled in Chennai, will begin arriving in December. The TBMs are expected to be operational by March 2025, marking a crucial phase in the underground construction work. The Purple Line’s Esplanade station, located in the heart of Kolkata, is facing a significant challenge in terms of land acquisition and relocation. Recently, the Ministry of Defence gave its approval for the shifting of the BC Roy Market, which currently occupies a substantial portion of land necessary for the station’s construction. This approval has been a major milestone, enabling the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) to initiate the relocation process, including building a temporary structure at the Mounted Police grounds for the affected traders. The agency is also moving forward with the construction of one corner of the Esplanade station in the available land nearby.
In addition to these developments, officials are negotiating the shift of the L20 bus stand to Curzon Park to make room for the new Esplanade station. This relocation, expected within the next month or two, will clear a 2,900 sqm area that is currently home to century-old bus routes, further facilitating the Purple Line’s progress. Notably, the Purple Line is taking significant steps towards sustainability. In a first, 100% of the trees that were felled for construction will be transplanted. Of the 946 trees identified as being in the path of the Maidan area, 112 have already been successfully transplanted, with five times as many trees planted by RVNL as part of its environmental responsibility. The agency has also sought permission from the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to transplant the remaining trees in line with a directive from the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the ongoing trial runs on the Noapara section of the Blue Line, which is scheduled to replace Dum Dum on certain days, reflects the metro’s continuous efforts to optimise its existing network. These trials aim to increase the number of services from the New Garia to Dakshineswar stretch, boosting daily capacity and improving commuter experience.
