New Delhi: Even after seven months of its inauguration, the Pragati Maidan transit corridor is plagued by a persistent problem of water leakage. Officials claimed that a leakage in a damaged service pipeline had been causing water to seep into the walls of the tunnel road. The work on plugging the leakage and waterproofing the walls of the project was supposed to be completed by December, but has not got over yet. “The water in some parts of the transit corridor is because of a leakage in a service line. We are trying to fix the issue in the next 15 days,” said an official of the public works department (PWD). According to officials, the area where the tunnel road has been constructed has a high water table, hence extra care is being taken. If one enters the underpass constructed on Mathura Road near the Pragati Maidan Metro station, water leakage can be seen around the walls. Plastic bags and other waste on the stretch also give the entrance a shabby look. Moving further, water can be seen dripping on the sides and is getting accumulated for a long stretch.Though inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the transit corridor is still incomplete, with one of the underpasses being constructed by PWD, which is also responsible for the area outside the Pragati Maidan complex. The work of fixing the roof over the ramps of the underpasses is likely to be completed only before this year’s monsoon season.There is also the problem of waterlogging on Mathura Road. During the last monsoon, water accumulated on the road, which had damaged it and caused discomfort to commuters. PWD is trying to repair Mathura Road ahead of the G20 summit and meetings that are scheduled to be held at the Pragati Maidan convention centre in the next few months. Scores of foreign delegates and representatives from different countries will attend these events. The Pragati Maidan transit corridor was built at an estimated cost of Rs 923 crore and inaugurated by the Prime Minister on June 19, with the aim to decongest the Mathura Road traffic signals and provide an easy access to the mega underground parking lot at Pragati Maidan. After the opening of the tunnel, commuters also use this route to reach Sunder Nagar and Jangpura.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/seepage-woes-persist-at-delhis-pragati-maidan-tunnel/articleshow/96691983.cms