The completion delay and negligence in maintaining the Pragati Maidan tunnel have resulted in significant cracks, necessitating a complete overhaul, according to a senior official at Delhi’s Public Works Department (PWD), as reported by The Hindu on February 6.
The official expressed concerns about the safety of commuters due to the condition of the tunnel, emphasizing that repairs cannot be carried out without a major revamp. Originally completed for ₹777 crore, the Pragati Maidan tunnel was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2022.
Designed to improve connectivity between central Delhi, eastern parts of the city, and satellite towns like Noida and Ghaziabad, the 1.3 km-long tunnel features five underpasses linked to the Integrated Transit Corridor Project.
However, in 2023, the tunnel experienced multiple closures due to waterlogging issues, particularly during moderate to heavy rainfall, noted another official.
Despite repeated communications to the maintaining authority, Larsen and Toubro (L&T), over the past two months, no repairs were undertaken, as per The Hindu’s report.
Consequently, the PWD issued a show-cause notice to L&T on February 3, demanding a deposit of a “minimum token amount of ₹500 crore” and instructing the firm to initiate repair work and rectify the defective design.
The notice highlighted L&T’s failure to complete the tunnel construction on time. Although the project tender was floated in 2017 with an expected completion date in 2019, it was not inaugurated until 2022.
The PWD underscored that concessions in the timeline were granted with the expectation that construction quality would not be compromised.
Furthermore, the PWD attributed the majority of the damage to defects in the design of Underpass No.5 near Bhairon Marg.
L&T was given until February 18 to respond to the notice and justify why action should not be taken against it for financial and reputational losses.
According to the report citing the PWD notice, the company is liable under civil and criminal laws for neglecting to repair and maintain a construction intended to have a design life of 100 years or more.
In response, an L&T spokesperson stated that the company has filed a counterclaim of ₹500 crore against the PWD.
