Noida authority issues notice to construction firm over cave in on elevated road

NOIDA: The Noida authority on Monday said that it has issued a notice to a company for shoddy work in city’s first 5

NOIDA: The Noida authority on Monday said that it has issued a notice to a company for shoddy work in city’s first 5.5km elevated road construction days after a portion caved in, causing distress to thousands of daily commuters.

The Authority has also engaged IIT to probe the construction quality, with the report likely to be submitted on Tuesday or Wednesday, said officials. (HT Photo)

The Authority has also engaged the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) to probe the matter while the road remains closed to commuters due to safety concerns.

“We have issued a notice to the construction company that built this road and opened it in 2018. The Authority has asked for reasons why this (road) has developed cracks and caved in,” said SP Singh, general manager of the Noida authority in a statement.

The Authority has also engaged IIT to probe the construction quality, with the report likely to be submitted on Tuesday or Wednesday, said officials. “Once the IIT report is completed and submitted, we will undertake further action based on it and also based on the construction company’s reply,” Singh added.

On October 19 (Monday), a 2x2-foot section near Sector 33 caved in on the elevated road. But three days later, the damaged section widened, prompting authorities to shut the entire carriageway between Sectors 61 and 18.

Constructed in 2018 at a cost of ₹480 crore, the elevated road is a key arterial route connecting Sector 18 and 61 and adjoining sectors. It is designed to ease congestion between sectors like 18, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and sectors 60, 61, and 62. Additionally, many people from Indirapuram and Vaishali in Ghaziabad use this road to commute between Noida and Delhi via the DND Flyway and vice-versa, officials said.

Traffic department data indicates that nearly 150,000 commuters use the elevated road on weekdays, with traffic volume increasing during the morning and evening rush-hour commute.

In March 2024, the Noida authority conducted repair and restoration work on the elevated road at a cost of ₹14.55 crore after the surface developed cracks and the layers eroded in different places.

Notably, the company had originally started work on the road in 2013 and it was partially opened on June 29, 2017. Later, after the entire construction work completed, the full road was opened in 2018, officials said.

In 2020, commuters filed complaints when the road developed cracks at some portions. The Authority closed the road and reopened it only after repairs were carried out for the first time, said officials.

But the road was closed again for commuters on September 15, 2026 after a 10x5-foot section, around three feet deep, caved in.

HT’s attempt to contact the construction company did not elicit any response.