Delhi’s Pragati Maidan Tunnel in dire need of repairs; PWD issues notice to the agency

The famous Pragati Maidan Tunnel in Delhi has now turned into a potential threat to commuters. The tunnel, which was adorned for the G20 Summit, is now posing a danger to the public. The Public Works Department (PWD) is scrutinising the multi-crore six-lane tunnel and its underpasses.

As per the PWD, the tunnel is facing myriad issues and 12 issues have been recognised. These include leakage, significant cracks in concrete, water accumulation, inadequate drainage, inconsistent kerbstones, missing saucer drains, and unexplained groundwater seepage.
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The Delhi PWD has sent a show cause notice to Larsen & Toubro (L&T), requesting the company to deposit a "minimum token amount of INR 500 crores" and to start repair work to address technical and design flaws in the Pragati Maidan tunnel project.


The PWD's notice states that rectifying design flaws and quality-related concerns requires a substantial overhaul of the entire project, including deficiencies in the transit corridor running along Mathura Road, Bhairon Marg, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, and the underground tunnel connecting Mathura Road to Mahatma Gandhi Marg beneath Pragati Maidan.

The notice highlights the company's failure to complete the construction of underpass number five near Bhairon Marg within the stipulated time frame. The PWD has given the company 15 days to respond to the notice dated February 3, warning of potential consequences for financial and reputational losses due to project delays, particularly concerning the tunnel beneath the railway tracks.

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However, an L&T spokesperson referred to the PWD, Delhi, as an esteemed client. The spokesperson also stated that L&T has lodged a counter-claim of INR 500 crore against the PWD, Delhi.
The Pragati Maidan complex and integrated transit corridor, along with the Bharat Mandapam convention center, were developed ahead of the previous year's G20 summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the main tunnel and five underpasses in June 2022.

The project, costing INR 777 crores, aimed to create a signal-free passage for Bhairon Marg, Ring Road, and Mathura Road, with the 1.3 km tunnel as the focal point of the integrated corridor and its associated underpasses.

A PWD official said that despite multiple site inspections and assurances, L&T engineers failed to act upon the proposed solutions.