Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the main tunnel and five underpasses of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transport Corridor, part of a larger redevelopment project in the area.

Construction of the Rs 920 crore corridor started in 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2019. Several deadlines were missed due to congestion issues and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is a new India that solves problems, makes new promises and tirelessly delivers on them,” Modi said at the inauguration.

The Pragati Maidan corridor is located near the city centre and is expected to provide smoother vehicle mobility in otherwise congested areas. This is the latest move to strengthen connectivity within and between provincial capitals. PM mentioned other road infrastructure projects such as the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Jaipur highways.

The tunnel is 1.36 km long, with six and three lanes on both sides. Linking the Ring Road to the India Gate through Pragati Maidan, the corridor is designed to provide faster travel for over 1 lakh commuters and direct connections to activities in Pragati Maidan, as well as commuters who encounter traffic in adjoining areas, because crowds offer extra relief like Ito.

Talking about easing road congestion and the consequent reduction in pollution, PM also spoke of the need for increased participation in public transport. He added that the Metro service had tripled to 400 km in the past few years and asked people to use the service more.

Meanwhile, Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said in a series of tweets that the corridor would benefit the environment, saving nearly 5.5 million litres of fuel annually.