A major milestone was reached today in the expansion of Kolkata’s rapid transit network as a massive Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), named “Durga,” successfully broke through into the underground Victoria Metro station. The breakthrough occurred at approximately 10:30 AM in the presence of senior officials, including Metro Railway General Manager Shri Prem Sagar Gupta, the Consul General of Nepal, and local civic and police chiefs.

A One-Year Journey Underground

The event marks the completion of a key underground section connecting Khidderpore to the upcoming Victoria station. TBM Durga began drilling this specific path exactly one year ago, on July 10, 2025. Engineers highlighted that the entire tunneling process was completed without disrupting the busy surface traffic overhead, a major challenge in a densely populated city like Kolkata.

Project Background: The Joka–Esplanade Line

The work is part of the ongoing Joka–Esplanade Metro Project (Line 3), which is designed to connect the southwestern suburbs of Kolkata to the heart of the city.

* The Goal: Once fully operational, this line will drastically cut travel times, reduce road congestion, and provide a eco-friendly transport alternative for hundreds of thousands of daily commuters.
* The Scale: While sections of the Joka line are already running on elevated tracks, this underground breakthrough near the iconic Victoria Memorial represents one of the most structurally complex phases of the project.

Celebrating the achievement, Metro General Manager Prem Sagar Gupta praised the project teams and the executing agency, L&T, for maintaining strict safety and quality standards. Officials noted that modern public transit upgrades like this are essential steps toward building a more connected, developed nation.

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