Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor project including a main tunnel and five underpasses on Sunday.
The 1.6-km-long main tunnel will help those travelling from east Delhi areas like Noida and Ghaziabad to central Delhi areas including India Gate. People can escape the traffic jams at ITO, Mathura Road, and Bhairon Marg, said Public Works Department (PWD) officials. A resident of Noida told PTI that the tunnel will not only save them from traffic bottlenecks but also help them save time and money. It will also reduce pollution.
The project is meant to provide easy access to the world-class exhibition and convention centre being developed at Pragati Maidan. It has the latest technologies like a digital control room and a public announcement system. The tunnel will also be under strict surveillance and has almost 100 CCTV cameras.
"We have also made arrangements for proper ventilation in the tunnel. Specially designed German-made large exhaust fans have been installed for ventilation purposes," said the PWD official.
The tunnel starts near the National Sports Complex of India (NSCI) at the Purana Qila Road and passes underneath the redeveloped Pragati Maidan to culminate at the Ring Road near the Pragati Power station.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said the project cost over Rs 920 crore and was entirely funded by the government. The work started in March 2018 and was scheduled to be completed in September 2019. Complexities involved in the construction and the pandemic delayed the work to March 2022.