As part of the Pragati Maidan Corridor Development Plan, six underpasses and one tunnel was proposed. (File)After the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) last week decided to close the newly inaugurated Pragati Madain tunnel for vehicles every Sunday and keep it open for pedestrians to enjoy the murals inside, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion to organise art walks, rain played spoilsport for those wishing to see the murals. On Sunday, the tunnel was waterlogged and saw only 3-4 visitors.
While officials said the water was drained immediately, two other underpasses near Supreme Court and Bhairon Mandir remained waterlogged for a few hours.
When asked about waterlogging at the tunnel, a PWD official said: “There was no waterlogging at Pragati Maidan even today and earlier. This tunnel is surrounded by a catchment area and is 527 metres in depth. It is natural that if there is a slope, the water will flow down… There are around seven sumps situated at different points; the water flows into it and is pumped out…”
On waterlogging at the two underpasses, the official added: “These are yet to open to the public. The traffic police has instructed us to open the underpasses one at a time so they can observe traffic movement as commuters are confused with routes. Since these are not operational, the pump system was not activated.”
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As part of the Pragati Maidan Corridor Development Plan, six underpasses and one tunnel was proposed. While one underpass at the Bhairon Marg Intersection is under construction, the tunnel and five underpasses were inaugurated in June. A PWD official said currently, only the underpasses at Sher Shah Suri Road and DPS on Mathura Road is open.
Aalap Patel, DCP (Traffic), said: “The Pragati Maidan tunnel is closed for traffic on Sunday so pedestrians can use it as an art gallery, as the Prime Minister had mentioned earlier. We do not issue any orders for closure but simply regulate traffic accordingly. Any order has to come from the PWD, which is the custodian and ITPO which is the owner.”
He also said traffic police has not issued any order for closure of the underpasses on Mathura Road.
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