‘2 hours for 45-min drive’: Commuters bear brunt as Noida wage protest hits traffic

Traffic in Noida and on key Delhi routes was severely disrupted for six hours due to labor protests, stranding thousands of commuters during peak hours.

Traffic across Noida and on Delhi-Noida and Delhi-Ghaziabad arterial corridors came to a near standstill for nearly six hours on Monday morning as a labour unrest in Noida’s industrial areas spilled onto key roads, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours during peak schools and office-going hours.

Mayur Vihar flyover gridlocked during the protest on Monday. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

The worst-hit stretches included the Delhi-Noida Link Road via Chilla border, the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) flyway, the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and its parallel National Highway (NH)-9 and NH-24, with spillover congestion affecting Ashram, Sarai Kale Khan, and other parts of southeast Delhi.

In Noida, the disruption was felt at the epicentre of the protest area — the Phase 2 industrial area, particularly around Sectors 1 and 84 — and its immediate vicinity. Traffic congestion was also reported along NH-9, near Sector 62, and in areas around Pari Chowk, Greater Noida, as commuters attempted to bypass blocked routes, further straining alternate corridors.

How wage protest brought Noida to a standstill on Monday. (HT GFX)

Long tailbacks stretching several kilometres were seen on the key routes till afternoon, and vehicles either remained stuck in the massive traffic snarls or moved at a snail’s pace during the morning peak hours. Many people were seen stepping out of their vehicles in desperation, seeking intervention from police and traffic personnel.

As the traffic congestion around the Chilla border worsened, the Delhi Traffic Police issued its first advisory on social media at 11:48 am, informing the public about the situation and directing them to use alternative routes.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) K Ramesh said, “Traffic moving towards Noida from ITO, Vikas Marg, and Geeta Colony was diverted towards NH-9 and NH-24 from near Akshardham flyover. Similarly, motorists were asked to take a U-turn at Chilla border and use the DND flyway to enter Noida. Vehicles coming towards Chilla border from Noida were also diverted to the DND and other alternate routes.”

The worst affected were office-goers attempting to reach workplaces in Delhi, Noida and Gurugram, as well as passengers heading to railway stations and the Delhi airport to catch trains and flights.

“I left home early thinking I would avoid the rush, but got stuck near Sector 44 for over an hour,” said Richa Verma, an IT professional commuting to a corporate office in Sector 135. “People were getting down from cars, checking Google Maps, trying to figure alternate routes but everything was jammed.”

Ankit Sharma, a private sector employee who uses the DND route daily said, “It took me nearly two and a half hours to reach from Indirapuram to Okhla. Usually, it’s a 45-minute drive. There was no clarity on diversions, and traffic just wasn’t moving.”

Officials said the situation worsened as protesting workers blocked key internal roads, forcing authorities to reroute vehicles through limited exit points.

“There was no proper advisory in the morning. By the time we realised what was happening, we were already stuck in the middle of it,” said Neha Gupta, a commuter in Phase 2, sector 1.

The disruption also impacted school operations in both Delhi and Noida.

Renu Singh, director principal of Amity International School, Noida, said the school altered dispersal plans to ensure student safety. “We handled student dispersal very carefully and were in regular contact with Noida Police, taking updates from them. Based on their guidance, buses were routed accordingly,” she said.

The situation finally began easing mid-afternoon and was nearly fully resolved by late evening.

“Traffic movement became normal around 1:30 pm after protesters dispersed from Noida Sector-14,” said DCP (traffic) Ramesh.

A senior Delhi traffic police officer said the Delhi Traffic Police had not been alerted by the Noida administration about the protests and the first information came around 9.30 am from a Noida traffic police officer, asking for blocking and diverting traffic moving towards Noida via Chilla border.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Noida, Shailendra Kumar Singh said the situation was under control, adding that traffic had been restored on major stretches after earlier disruptions. “The situation is under control and traffic is moving smoothly on the expressways and other arterial routes. Adequate police deployment has been ensured, and teams remain on the ground to manage the situation and prevent any further escalation,” he said.