₹2 crore project to address chronic waterlogging at Bharat Mandapam in the works

The underground reservoir, expected to take three months, aims to alleviate chronic waterlogging in the area by channeling rainwater to municipal drains.

The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) is developing an underground sump reservoir and a high-pressure pumping system near Bharat Mandapam in an attempt to address chronic waterlogging in the area, senior officials said. The project, estimated to cost around ₹2 crore, will channel excess rainwater from Gate No. 3 to a nearby municipal drain.

Areas in and around Bharat Mandapam, including the Pragati Maidan tunnel, have repeatedly witnessed waterlogging during heavy rainfall. (HT Archive) (HT_PRINT)

The project is expected to take around three months and is unlikely to be completed before the monsoon. “Around 1,000 cubic metres will be excavated to create a waterproof reservoir fitted with five high-capacity submersible pumps. Excess water will collect in the sump, from where the pumps installed at different levels will continuously drain it out,” an official said.

Areas in and around Bharat Mandapam, including the Pragati Maidan tunnel, have repeatedly witnessed waterlogging during heavy rainfall. The tunnel, developed as part of the Pragati Maidan redevelopment project, had reported leakage at multiple points soon after it was opened to traffic, leading to temporary closures and diversions. Authorities had then attributed the problem to waterproofing failures and said corrective measures would be undertaken.

The area has required multiple infrastructure interventions over the past two years. In December last year, the Public Works Department (PWD) announced plans to develop new drains and kerb channels around Bharat Mandapam and Pragati Maidan to improve stormwater discharge in the area.

Officials said one of the channels runs around Bharat Mandapam along Mathura Road from the W-point near Tilak Bridge and Supreme Court to Delhi Public School, while another stretches from Bhairon Marg and the Ring Road-Bhairon Marg T-point to the Indraprastha flyover. These channels are meant to direct rainwater into larger drains in the region.

Minor waterlogging was reported inside the complex during the G20 Summit in 2023, while Gates No. 6 and 10 have also seen repeated complaints of water accumulation over the last two years, officials said. “The work involved demolition of cement concrete and dismantling of portions of the bituminous pavement. Precast cement concrete kerb channels and saucer drains were developed in the area,” an official said.

HT had reported on December 26 that PWD approved extensive repairs at the Pragati Maidan tunnel following repeated seepage-related defects. The proposed measures included pressure grouting, chemical injection, crack sealing and application of waterproofing membranes at vulnerable points at an estimated cost of around ₹4 crore.

The work also involved restoration of damaged concrete surfaces and protective coatings to prevent seepage during the monsoon.