A newly constructed tunnel in the national capital Delhi has turned out to be fatal for commuters as per media reports.
Delhi's 1.3-km long Pragati Maidan tunnel, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2022 before the G20 Summit, is now a "potential threat to the life of passengers," The Indian Express reported.
Built at a cost of around ₹920 crore, Delhi's Pragati Maidan tunnel has developed cracks and seepage on the walls. During the monsoon season last year, the tunnel was closed for over a month because of water seepage and waterlogging.
With persistent problems pertaining to the quality of the tunnel, Delhi's Public Works Department (PWD) has decided to take action.
1. In 2022, PM Modi inaugurated the 1.3 km-long Pragati Maidan tunnel and underpasses on Mathura Road in New Delhi. The ambitious infra project was funded entirely by the Centre.
2. Pragati Maidan tunnel and the underpasses aimed at providing hassle-free and smooth access to the new world-class exhibition and convention centre. The tunnel Ring Road with India Gate via Purana Qila Road passes through Pragati Maidan.
3. It's been roughly 20 months since the tunnel opened for the general public but is facing myriad issues. According to the PWD department, the Pragati Maidan tunnel has leakage issues, cracks in concrete, water accumulation, inadequate drainage, inconsistent kerbstones, missing saucer drains, and unexplained groundwater seepage.
4. The Delhi PWD has sent a show cause notice to Larsen & Toubro (L&T), requesting the company to deposit a "minimum token amount of ₹500 crore" and to start repair work to address technical and design flaws in the tunnel. The notice was issued on February 3, asking the company to respond within 15 days.
5. PWD notice read that the project with time revealed: "glaring infirmities that were not only technical in nature but were also design flaws". "The most glaring as well as alarming issue was the accumulation of water across various locations in the tunnel/underpass".
6. The notice also underlined the fact that the entire design and execution of the project was under the control of L&T and no government agency had any role in it.
7. L&T has been asked to reply to the notice as to why it should not be banned from undertaking any government-funded construction projects in Delhi.
8. Larsen and Toubro said that they have made a counterclaim of ₹500 crore against the PWD.
9. During the monsoon last year, the Pragati Maidan tunnel was shut down due to waterlogging that ended congestion along the arterial roads of the entire New Delhi area. At that time, PWD officials said the flooding inside tunnels was due to multiple factors, including its location in a high water table area.
10. The construction of the Pragati Maidan tunnel started in March 20218 and was scheduled to be completed by September 2019. The deadline was extended due to the work complexities involved in the project.
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