Work on Pragati Maidan underpass to begin after monsoon: Parvesh
In a significant step towards decongesting one of Delhi’s busiest stretches, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma on Monday announced that work on the final pending underpass of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor will restart soon after the monsoon, once the Centre gives final approval.
Underpass-5, connecting Bhairon Marg to Ring Road, is the final leg of the ambitious corridor project inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022. While five underpasses and the main tunnel are already operational, the remaining 28 metres of the 110-metre-long underpass has been pending due to technical setbacks.
The Minister said: “We’ve completed all technical reviews and submitted the proposal to the Centre. As soon as we get the go-ahead, we will resume work after the monsoon. This underpass is vital to easing traffic chaos around Pragati Maidan, and we are fully committed to completing it at the earliest.”
Work on the underpass was halted during flooding in 2023. The PWD then sought advice from the IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay and CBRI, which recommended switching to a cast-in-situ construction method to avoid disturbing railway operations and minimise risk.
As per the revised plan, the sunken structures will remain untouched. Instead, a narrower underpass — 6.25 metres wide and 3.9 metres high — will be built to handle only light motor vehicles, reducing the original three-lane plan to two lanes.
A detailed, revised proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and is under review, Verma said.
“The department is ready to start work as soon as we get nod from the Centre. All groundwork has been completed from our side,” he added.
The Minister also visited nearby Drain No. 14, a known flooding point for the Supreme Court area, Mathura Road, Kaka Nagar and Bapa Nagar. He said new pumps had been installed at the site with enhanced capacity to manage excess water during heavy rain or rising Yamuna levels.
“We can now control the flow better and release drain water downstream to prevent urban flooding,” Verma said.
Delhi