Work resumes on last underpass of Pragati Maidan corridor in central Delhi

Work on Underpass No. 5 of the Pragati Maidan Corridor has resumed, aiming for completion by February after design issues delayed progress.

New Delhi

The site of the work on Bhairon Marg. (HT Archive)

Work on Underpass No. 5, the final underpass of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor, has resumed after a three-year hold-up due to clearance and design issues, officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) said, citing completion of the box-pushing exercise and start of stitching work. They expect to complete it by next February.

The latest progress comes after the railways granted in-principle approval for revised construction methodology, using the cast in-situ method, officials said.

“The box pushing work has been completed successfully and the remaining construction activity has now started. Railways has given in-principle approval for the revised methodology. We are aiming to complete the underpass by February,” PWD minister Parvesh Verma said.

Officials said the underpass, located near Bhairon Marg, is aimed at improving connectivity between Ring Road and Pragati Maidan. The underpass is part of the larger Pragati Maidan transit corridor project that was developed to streamline traffic movement around the redeveloped Bharat Mandapam complex and central Delhi road network.

As per the current design, the structure will be a two-lane underpass meant only for light motor vehicles.

Verma said that as per the revised plan, the Railways will only need to restrict train movement along the overhead line for a few days in the next month. Previously, the plan involved stopping train movement for around 40 days, which will no longer be needed, officials said.

A PWD official, who did not wish to be named, said, “The revised plan was necessitated after repeated delays linked to obtaining railway clearances and difficulties associated with the original design. The new design proposes to reduce the height and width of the underpass, limiting it to just light vehicles and cutting the carriageway from three lanes to two.”

As per the revised plan, the height of the underpass has been reduced from 5.5 metres to 3.9m , and its width from 11.5m to 6.25m. Officials said that this was the only technically feasible approach without dismantling the railway tracks above.

While the main tunnel and five underpasses were inaugurated and opened in June 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Underpass No. 5 along Bhairon Marg has remained incomplete. The project has been stuck since mid-2023, when construction had to be halted following the sinking and shifting of two concrete boxes that were being pushed under an active railway overbridge. Officials aware of the matter said that the site’s proximity to the Yamuna, high groundwater level and the presence of three active railway lines above the tunnel alignment added to the engineering challenges.

PWD officials said the construction sequence had to be planned carefully because of the proximity to railway infrastructure and the need to ensure uninterrupted train operations. The box pushing process itself required multiple permissions, traffic diversions and coordination with railway authorities. Ancillary work, including road integration, drainage systems, retaining walls and finishing work, will also be undertaken in phases over the coming months.