Amidst the intricate tapestry of political discourse, Rahul Gandhi, a prominent figure in the Congress party, launched a scathing critique against the Modi administration on Saturday. His focus was the purported “glaring infirmities” within the Pragati Maidan tunnel project, lamenting the dominance of the ‘Amrit Kaal’ among the morally questionable. The tunnel, spanning 1.3 kilometers and complemented by five underpasses, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 19, 2022, as a pivotal component of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor Project. This ambitious initiative aims to streamline connectivity between central Delhi and its eastern counterparts, along with the satellite towns of Noida and Ghaziabad.
The Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government swiftly responded to the perceived deficiencies, issuing a formal notice to Larsen and Toubro, the project’s executor. In a move that underlines the gravity of the situation, the PWD demanded a “token amount” of Rs 500 crore from the conglomerate, coupled with a directive for immediate commencement of remedial efforts. Notably, Larsen and Toubro retaliated with a counterclaim, seeking an equivalent sum of Rs 500 crore against the PWD.
Expressing his dismay via a Hindi post on the platform X, Gandhi remarked, “The ‘Amrit Kaal’ of the corrupt is prevailing in the country.” He highlighted the paradox of the Pragati Maidan Tunnel, constructed at a staggering cost of Rs 777 crore, succumbing to obsolescence within a mere year. Criticizing the prime minister’s approach, he stated, “Instead of ‘planning,’ he is indulging in ‘modeling’ for every development project.”
In a broader context, Gandhi asserted that enforcement agencies such as ED, CBI, and IT are not waging a battle against corruption but, rather alarmingly, against democracy itself. To underscore his point, he shared a photograph of Modi taken post the tunnel’s inauguration, questioning the efficacy of governmental actions in the face of mounting concerns.
