Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Rs 920 crore Pragati Maidan integrated transit corridor project, which includes a 1.4 km tunnel and five underpasses on Mathura Road.
He called it the Centre’s gift of modern infrastructure to the national Capital and cited a number of initiatives, including Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways, more than doubling of metro tracks in Delhi-NCR and the Delhi-Meerut highway, among other things, as steps taken by his government to solve the region’s problems to make Delhi one of the better-connected capitals globally.
The new corridor will provide hassle-free and smooth access to the new world-class exhibition and convention centre being developed at Pragati Maidan, thereby facilitating easy participation of exhibitors and visitors in the programmes being held at Pragati Maidan. Further, it will ensure hassle-free vehicular movement, helping save time and cost of commuters in a big way.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi said that the construction faced several difficulties given the complexity of the project involving one of the busiest routes in the national capital. But, this is new India, it resolves issues, takes new pledges, and to fulfil those pledges, it makes all efforts,” he said while inaugurating the corridor. Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Hardeep Singh Puri, Som Parkash and Anupriya Patel were also present at the inauguration. Before inaugurating the integrated-transit corridor, the prime minister inspected the six-lane tunnel between NSIC Purana Quila Road and Pragati Power Station to take stock of the artwork and paintings on the walls of the tunnel.
The Prime Minister said, “Today, Delhi has got a beautiful gift of modern infrastructure from the Centre. It was not easy to complete this integrated project in such a short time, as the surrounding roads are among the busiest roads in the capital. Every day lakhs of people pass through it”. He said that people of Delhi and NCR had to suffer a lot due to traffic congestion in ITO and nearby areas. “The 1.5 km long tunnel will provide relief to thousands of people coming from east Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad (and commuting to central Delhi). This integrated corridor will help people save time and it will also save fuel. In the presentation it was said that 55 lakh litres of fuel will be saved,” said Modi.
The challenging project has been completed in a short span despite all the hurdles, including Covid-19 and court cases, said the PM. “This corridor is part of the project to transform Pragati Maidan as per the requirements of the 21st century,” said the Prime Minister.
Modi also suggested that the tunnel be closed to traffic for four-five hours once a week and instead educational tours be organised for schoolchildren at the site to teach them art, culture and festivals of the country.
Modi said that the central government has planned several road infrastructure projects such as highways (Delhi-Meerut, Delhi Mumbai, Delhi-Jaipur) and Rapid Rail Transit Systems to “make Delhi one of the better connected capitals in the world”.
The integrated transit corridor is part of the Pragati Maidan revamp project and is aimed at easing movement in and around the exhibition centre. The main tunnel, which passes through Pragati Maidan, connects Ring Road with India Gate and opens on Purana Qila Road.
There are six underpasses -- four on Mathura Road, one on Bhairon Marg, and one at the intersection of Ring Road and Bhairon Marg -- constructed as part of the project. At present, traffic from the W-point near ITO to Sunder Nagar goes through five signals, which causes frequent snarls along the key stretch.
The project was initially expected to be completed by 2019 but missed at least six deadlines. The tunnel will also serve as an alternative route to Bhairon Marg and is expected to take more than half of the traffic load of Bhairon Marg.
