PWD issues notice to L&T for ‘glaring infirmities’ in Delhi's Pragati Maidan tunnel; seeks Rs 500 cr deposit

Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a notice to Larsen and Toubro over “glaring infirmities” in the Pragati Maidan tunnel, demanding a “token amount” of Rs 500 crore from the company in order to initiate repair work. Larsen and Toubro, on the other hand, has made a counterclaim of Rs 500 crore against PWD. 

PWD had issued a notice to L&T, asking them to respond within 15 days. 

The Pragati Maidan tunnel was shut for a large part due to waterlogging during the Delhi floods last year.  The 1.3-km-long tunnel and five underpasses were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 19, 2022 as part of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor Project. The objective of constructing the tunnel was easing connectivity between central Delhi with the eastern parts of the city, Noida and Ghaziabad. 

The notice alleged that with the passage of time, “glaring infirmities that were not only technical in nature but were also design flaws” were revealed. “The most glaring as well as alarming issue was the accumulation of water across various locations in the tunnel/underpass,” the notice stated. 

The entire project was non-operational for the general public during the monsoon season, the notice highlighted. This ended up causing far more blockages and congestion along the arterial roads of Delhi, defeating the very purpose of the tunnel, the notice added. The notice highlighted that the project was under the control of L&T and no government agency had any part to play in it. 

L&T’s failure to act on the issues faced by the general public and resultant public safety hazard is a dereliction of their duty and obligations and contravention of the terms of the agreement, it said. 

“Given the documentary records and urgency involved in the redressal process, you are put on notice to respond as to why action should not be instituted against your company within 15 days from the date of receipt of this notice,” stated the notice, further directing the company to immediately deposit a “minimum token amount of Rs 500 crore” and initiate repair and rectification work on the locations already identified in the project site.

The PWD notice stated that despite the detailed communications, all the issues have remained unaddressed for over two months. It also highlighted that the final project design is at variance from the schematics of the intended construction agreed by L&T. The variation is likely to cause an “irreparable and unprecedented impact” on the underpasses, which was intended to be used by the public for years. 

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