Pragati Maidan tunnel open for commute from 6 am to 10 pm
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NEW DELHI: Passengers travelling from Central Delhi to East Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad can now use the newly opened Pragati Maidan tunnel as the authorities have extended the deadline by two hours in the morning and evening to facilitate motorists.
The newly inaugurated tunnel is now open to traffic from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., PWD officials said. Earlier, the tunnel was open to traffic from 8 am to 8 pm.
On June 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the city's first 1.3 km long tunnel and five underpasses as part of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor project, which aims to facilitate connectivity between central Delhi, the eastern part of the city and satellite cities in Noida and Ghaziabad, the NIE reported.
Described as the first tunnel in Delhi, the 1.3 km long facility was constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD) at a cost of 920 crores as part of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor project. The tunnel will reduce travel time by 10-15 minutes in central and eastern Delhi and the satellite cities of Noida and Ghaziabad, officials said.
The start of the tunnel is near the National Sports Complex of India (NSCI) at Purana Qila Road and ends at the Ring Road near the Pragati Power Station after passing under the redeveloped Pragati Maidan.
The tunnel allows passengers travelling from East Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad to India Gate and other parts of Central Delhi to avoid traffic jams at ITO, Mathura Road, Ring Road and Bhairon Marg.