Greater Noida begins work at bridge project to engage daily wage earners

GREATER NOIDA: The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has resumed construction work at a bridge across the Hindon River, between Noida and Greater

GREATER NOIDA: The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has resumed construction work at a bridge across the Hindon River, between Noida and Greater Noida, to engage daily wage workers who have been left jobless due to the shutting down of all work sites due to nationwide lockdown, imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

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The bridge is scheduled to come up between Greater Noida’s 60 metre-wide road in Knowledge Park-III, which is an educational hub, and Noida’s sectors 146/147. The budget of the construction of the bridge is Rs 65 crore. According to officials, who asked not to be named, it will have eight lanes having a width of 29 metres. The work on this project was started in January 2019 but the authority had to suspend construction on March 25, when the central government announced a nationwide lockdown, said the officials cited above.

“We have resumed construction work at the site so that migrant workers can be engaged and they can earn a livelihood. We have directed that social distancing norms at the site be adhered to strictly so that workers can carry on with work while staying safe from coronavirus spread,” said Narendra Bhooshan, chief executive officer of the Greater Noida authority.

The work was started after disinfecting the site, equipment, machines and surface, said the officials cited earlier.

The authority, meanwhile, said that the bridge will ease traffic congestion on the city’s busiest traffic intersection - Pari Chowk - once it is ready. It added that upon completion, the bridge will aid commuters travelling between Noida and Greater Noida and give them an option of a different route than Pari Chowk, as they can use the LG traffic intersection road to reach Knowledge Park-III and then reach Noida’s Sector 147 via this bridge. It will cut travel time of commuters travelling from Greater Noida’s KP-III and Noida’s sectors 147, 148 and 149, among other areas, the authority said.

This bridge was supposed to be completed in two-three years’ from the day the work was started. Officials said they will strive to make the deadline as though the work progress suffered, they will increase the pace of work to make the deadline.

Besides this, the authority has started resurfacing of city roads to engage migrant daily wage labourers. The Greater Noida authority will also start a helpline for migrant workers, who can seek work through this facility, officials said.