After much uproar from commuters due to the perennial problem of intense traffic chaos within the 1.3 km long Pragati Maidan tunnel, the administration has finally taken action to rework and repair it.

As a result, the tunnel will remain closed during night hours from 12 am to 6 am from April 18 for a month. The tunnel, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2022, will also remain closed for the entire day on March 24, March 31, and April 7.

The advisory issued by the Delhi Traffic Police has advised the commuters to take alternative routes to reach their destination during these hours. Ring Road, Bhairon Road and Mathura road may be used as alternative routes, it said. “People who are going towards ISBT/railway stations/airports are advised to carefully plan their travel with sufficient time at hand,” said the advisory.

This comes after there was a delay in repairing the tunnel, which has been facing multiple closures due to waterlogging since last year’s flood. Subsequently, after both the PWD and Larsen and Toubro (L&T), the company behind the tunnel’s construction, filed lawsuits and counterclaims against each other regarding the ‘irregularities’ with the tunnel’s construction, a five-member expert committee was formed due to a delay in the suggested total repair of the Pragati Maidan tunnel in Delhi.

The committee consists of members from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), and Public Works Department (PWD). They will address the flaws and inspect the report from the construction company L&T, which was directed to conduct immediate repairs of the structure.

Part of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor Project, the tunnel was intended to ease connectivity between central Delhi and the eastern parts of the city, as well as Noida and Ghaziabad. However, it experiences significant traffic congestion each day, posing problems for everyday travellers.