Tunnel and underpasses to set Mathura Road, Ring Road traffic free

The Pragati Maidan redevelopment project involves building massive road infrastructure in the area which by the end of next year could decongest Mathura Road and two key traffic intersections, speeding up movement of vehicles.

The centrepiece of this plan is a proposed 1.1-km tunnel from Purana Qila Road to Ring Road running below Pragati Maidan. This six lane tunnel is expected to take the pressure off the ITO (60,000 to 62,000 passenger car units daily) and Bhairon Marg (55,000 to 57,000 PCUs daily) intersections. A chunk of the east-bound traffic will use this tunnel for a quick getaway. With Mathura Road also becoming signal-free, peak hours in this area will no longer look so bleak.



An official of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) said they were keen on decongesting the area around Pragati Maidan before the exhibition grounds could be redeveloped. “Accordingly, traffic decongestion interventions were formulated at a cost of Rs 777 crore by ITPO in consultation with PWD as an integral part of the Pragati Maidan project,” he said. “These traffic interventions are now under execution, fully funded by the central government and set to be completed by August 2019.”

The tunnel will be 100-metre wide and have six lanes. Loops radiating from this tunnel will allow drivers to come from India Gate and directly enter the 4,800-car basement parking of the exhibition grounds.

Joint commissioner (traffic) Alok Kumar said a meeting with stakeholders will soon be held to discuss this plan.

Vehicles going towards south from ITO will be able to access the tunnel from Mathura Road, taking the pressure off Bhairon Marg. Uturns at Bhairon Marg and Subramaniam Bharti Marg crossings will be replaced with elevated U-turns. Alternatively, the three crossings at Sher Shah Road, Bhairon Marg and Subramaniam Bharti Marg may be provided with underpasses for vehicles going towards south Delhi. Two U-turn underpasses will be created at Sunder Nagar.

Another elevated U-turn has been proposed at Supreme Court to allow direct entry to the underground parking.

Traffic cops expect the underground parking to help prevent on-road parking in the vicinity of Supreme Court. “These traffic solutions will significantly curtail pollution in the area too,” said the ITPO official.