NEW DELHI: Pragati Maidan tunnel remained closed for traffic due to waterlogging for the second consecutive day on Monday, officials said. According to Public Works Department (PWD) officials, work is underway to pump out the water to ensure that the tunnel can be opened for traffic movement by Tuesday. The tunnel connecting Pragati Maidan to the transit corridor is temporarily closed due to the occurrence of significant waterlogging, the Delhi Traffic Police said.
“The heavy downpour in the area has resulted in the inundation of the tunnel, rendering it inaccessible for public use. To mitigate the waterlogging situation, an extensive pumping operation is currently underway by Delhi Police and tunnel maintaining authorities i.e. PWD etc,” they said.
“In the meantime, we kindly request commuters to utilise alternative routes and modes of transportation available. Adequate signage and information boards have been placed at strategic locations to guide commuters towards the alternative options,” they added.
The tunnel was closed for a while on Saturday when there was heavy downpour. On Sunday, it was shut for traffic movement. The PWD officials said they are working to solve the problem but added that the waterlogging was due to water being released from NDMC areas. They also explained that the water from the basement of the convention centre, which is under construction, is pumped out into the tunnel.
Commuters battled traffic snarls as they had to look for alternative routes in view of the closure of the tunnel. Meanwhile, the PWD of the Delhi government has directed for the constitution of emergency response teams (ERTs) to deal with accidents in the aftermath of two deaths at different work sites of the agency.
The teams shall submit a preliminary report on such incidents, along with geo-tagged photographs of the sites, to the PWD Secretariat within four hours of the incidents, according to an official communication, which also said that deaths on account of any incident will invite blacklisting of the contractor.
A labourer was electrocuted while working at an under-construction building on the premises of the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital earlier this month. According to the circular, the first priority of the teams would be to undertake restoration and rehabilitation measures in coordination with other agencies or departments to avoid further damage.
