Explained: The new corridor project at Pragati Maidan, the purpose it will serve

Part of the ITPO-Pragati Maidan Redevelopment Project, the corridor comprises a 1.3-km long tunnel and six underpasses. Work started in 2017 and it was estimated to be completed by end of 2019. However, it missed several deadlines.

What does it propose to do?

The key aim of this project is to de-congest traffic around the Pragati Maidan Trade Centre and remove bottlenecks on Bhairon Marg, Ring Road, ITO-W point and Mathura Road and make it signal free. This, in turn, will provide seamless connectivity between East and Central Delhi, East and New Delhi, Southeast and Central Delhi. It will also make commute easy for vehicles coming from Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Badarpur.

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Due to back-to-back signals on the intersections at Sher Shah Road and ITO W- junction, heavy traffic was seen on Purana Qila and the Delhi Zoo Road. Further, a large number of vehicles coming from Ghaziabad, Noida and East Delhi from the Yamuna river side passed through Bhairon Marg, choking Bhairon Marg, India Gate Circle, Mathura road and Ring Road.

How will it help commuters?

The main tunnel connects Ring Road with India Gate via Purana Qila Road passing through Pragati Maidan. It also provides access to the huge basement parking lot at Pragati Maidan trade centre. A unique feature of the tunnel is two cross tunnels below the main tunnel that have been constructed to facilitate movement of traffic from either side of the parking lot.

It also provides multiple entry and exit points: there are three ramps on Mathura Road to access the main tunnel. A slip road has also been provided on Ring Road to facilitate traffic coming from Ghaziabad and Noida through which commuters can go towards India Gate. A two-lane loop has been provided for traffic coming from ISBT Kashmere Gate, Rajghat and loops at Sarai Kale Khan for traffic going towards Noida and Ghaziabad.

The tunnel will further serve as an alternative route to Bhairon Marg, which is running beyond its carriage capacity. It is expected to take about 70% of the traffic load of Bhairon Marg.

There are six underpasses — four on Mathura Road, one on Bhairon Marg and one on the intersection of Ring Road and Bhairon Marg. Mathura road is signal-free now and the four underpasses are at Sher Shah Suri Road, Sunder Nagar, Pragati Maidan and Supreme Court for u-turns.

Work on the sixth underpass at Bhairon Marg intersection, a key stretch, is yet to be completed. Once finished, the stretch will provide direct connectivity between Kashmere Gate ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan. The signal at the intersection will also be removed.