Trouble in Pragati Maidan Tunnel continues! Water leakage signs found despite repairs – Here’s why the tunnel was called ‘potential threat’

Days after the Public Works Department (PWD) officials claimed that the Pragati Maidan tunnel is now fit for traffic again, The Indian Express has reported that a spot check revealed that water leakage is still visible inside the 1.2-kilometre-long tunnel.

Two months ago the structure was marked as a “potential threat” to the public. Repair work on the tunnel began on March 20.

The tunnel was constructed as a part of the Pragati Maidan corridor redevelopment project. However, it started seeing water leakage and seepage on its walls and roofs shortly after its inauguration in 2022.  Last year, the tunnel had to be shut down for more than a month due to waterlogging issues.

Inspection findings

The Indian Express visited the tunnel on Monday and found signs of a lot of repair work. However, they claim that water leakage was still visible at some spots of the stretch going towards Supreme Court from Noida.

Water leakage was comparatively less at three points along the tunnel, but the parking area, which links to the currently closed Bhairon Marg underpass, exhibited noticeable waterlogging. On the other hand, the section connecting to Noida showed no visible signs of leakage.

The barricades put around the spots facing seepage were removed a few days ago, the report said.

“The repair work inside the tunnel has been completed and problems such as water leaking, and seepage over the walls and ceiling, which were observed earlier, have also been fixed,” a PWD official told IE.

What did PWD say about the leakage issue?

Talking about the leakage issue, a PWD official said that the repair work has been in progress for over a month and improvements have been made to fix the leakage issue. “Grouting has also been done and drains have been cleaned as well…some minor leakages will be fixed,” they added.

In addition to the seepage problem, the surface along this stretch was discovered to be uneven at various points, with cracks evident in different sections. Some areas also displayed broken surfaces, causing abrupt jolts for commuters, particularly those on motorcycles.