Secret tunnel dug by British connecting Indian parliament and Red Fort discovered, claims politician

The ‘secret tunnel’ in the modern-day national capital connects historical landmarks, the politican said

A ‘secret tunnel’, which connected Delhi’s Assembly of speakers to the iconic Red Fort, above, has been found, an Indian politician said. (AFP via Getty Images)

An Indian politician on Thursday claimed that a secret tunnel-like structure from the British colonial-era in the heart of country’s capital could have been used to transport political prisoners.

Delhi Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel said that the tunnel connected two prominent landmarks in India, and he suggested it may have been used by the British rulers to move captured freedom fighters in order to avoid retaliation from Indian soldiers fighting the historic freedom battle.

The passage connects India’s iconic Red Fort, which housed Mughal emperors in 17th century, with Delhi’s legislative assembly, which was turned into a court in 1926.

Both the landmarks – Red Fort and Delhi Legislative Assembly – situated in northeast Delhi and north Delhi respectively, served as key points during the British colonial rule.

Mr Goel told the Assembly: “When I became an MLA in 1993, there was hearsay about a tunnel present here that goes ’til Red Fort, and I tried to search for its history. But there was no clarity over it.”

However, Mr Goel said they have been forced to halt the exploration due to development and infrastructure projects blocking the way.

“Now we have got the mouth of the tunnel, but we are not digging it further as all the paths of the tunnel have been destroyed due to metro projects and sewer installations,” he said.

He explained that the Delhi Legislative Assembly was used as India’s Legislative Hall when the country was ruled by the British from the 19th to the mid-20th century.

The Assembly was turned into a court in 1926, 21 years before Independence, and Mr Goel told the Delhi Assembly of his belief that it was used to transport political prisoners that were fighting for India’s independence from the colonial rulers.

Arvind Kejriwal’s Delhi state administration is now planning to use the room discovered under the capital’s assembly for paying tributes to the people who contributed to the country’s Independence battle.

Mr Goal said: “We all knew about the presence of a gallows room here but never opened it. Now it was the 75th year of independence and I decided to inspect that room. We intend to change that room into a shrine of freedom fighters as a tribute to them.”

The site will also be open to tourists by next year, Mr Goel said, confirming that work has now begun on this.

“This place has a very rich history in the context of the freedom struggle. We intend to renovate it in a way that tourists and visitors can get a reflection of our history,” Mr Goel said.

British rulers left India in 1947 after ruling the country for almost a century. Several rebellions erupted across India in 19th and 20th century, strengthening towards 1920s when Mahatma Gandhi, along with several Indian National Congress fighters, campaigned to end British rule and demanded independence in scores of mass movements.

India celebrates 15 August 1947 as its Independence Day.