We have some good news for Delhi residents! The Union Ministry of Railways has finally given the go-ahead to allow the Public Works Department (PWD) to begin construction on the last remaining underpass of the Pragati Maidan tunnel network. Once completed, the underpass is planned to be made operational for light motor vehicles. Here’s more on this development.
Final Section Of Pragati Maidan Underpass Gets A Go-Ahead
According to Hindustan Times, PWD will have to submit a plan to the Railways. Once approved, an overhead railway line will be blocked for around 40 days to allow construction. PWD minister Parvesh Verma said that they will share “the plan within the next few weeks” and work will start as soon as the approvals are given.
As per reports, the project remained stalled for four months due to discussions between the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Ministry of Railways on how to complete the partially constructed section. The delay has continued to choke a crucial stretch linking south and east Delhi with heavy traffic, pushing the project into its third year of delay.
It is worth noting that while the main tunnel and five underpasses were inaugurated and opened to the public in June 2022, Underpass Number 5 along Bhairon Marg remained incomplete. Construction at this site came to a halt in mid-2023 after two concrete boxes being pushed beneath an active railway overbridge sank and shifted.
Officials cited multiple challenges, including the site’s proximity to the Yamuna, high groundwater levels, and the presence of three active railway lines above the tunnel alignment, all of which complicated the engineering work.
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Plan Awaited To Begin Construction
After technical reviews and consultations with IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay, the PWD proposed a redesign earlier this year. Under the revised plan, the height and width of the underpass have been reduced, restricting it to light motor vehicles and narrowing the carriageway from three lanes to two. Once all necessary approvals are in place, authorities estimate that completing the remaining Pragati Maidan underpass will take around eight months.
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More details about this are awaited.
Cover Image Courtesy: X/@Amarrrrz
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