On record
The Purple Line was sanctioned in 2010-11 to connect Joka with Esplanade, with RVNL awarded the construction contract in 2011. Only the 6.5km Joka-Taratala stretch actually opened, inaugurated by the Prime Minister in December 2022, more than a decade after sanction. The remaining extension toward Park Street/Esplanade remained stuck as of 2026, most recently pending a land-swap deal with Nepal's Consulate General needed to build a ramp between the Mominpur and Khidderpore stations.
The official record states: "Not detailed in full; recent holdups have been attributed to land-acquisition disputes, including diplomatic land-swap negotiations required to clear the alignment near the Nepal Consulate."
“Sanctioned in 2010 to reach Esplanade; a decade later it reaches Taratala, six and a half kilometres in.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Line_(Kolkata_Metro)
- https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/land-swap-with-nepal-consulate-clears-hurdle-for-kolkata-metro-purple-line-work-3801192
Visitor reviews Satire
“Sanctioned in 2010 to reach Esplanade, and after twelve years it reaches Taratala, six and a half kilometres along.”
“Rode the Purple Line both ways in under half an hour, twice, because there is nowhere else for it to go.”
“The extension is currently waiting on a land swap with the Nepal consulate, which is a new kind of delay even for Kolkata.”
