Noida set to decongest Noida-Greater Noida Expressway

According to officials, the authority is considering hiring an expert agency to study the issue and suggest feasible solutions to reduce traffic congestion on the e-way, which is a major lifeline for thousands of commuters

The Noida authority is taking steps to address traffic congestion on the 25km Noida-Greater Noida Expressway during peak hours in the morning and evening, officials said on Sunday.

Some of the stretches at Noida-Greater Noida Expressway experience heavy traffic every day, especially during peak hours. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

According to officials, the authority is considering hiring an expert agency to study the issue and suggest feasible solutions to reduce traffic congestion on the e-way, which is a major lifeline for thousands of commuters.

The Noida Expressway has several stretches, such as Mahamaya Flyover to Kalindi Kunj, Mahamaya Flyover to DND or Mayur Vihar, and vice versa, that experience heavy traffic every day, especially during peak hours. This has forced commuters to crawl through the traffic, causing frustration and loss of time.

“We are likely to issue a tender soon to engage an expert agency to explore the best possible options for de-congesting the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. The previous company that was engaged for the project demanded a significant amount of money for the survey and report, which the authority deemed unacceptable,” said Ritu Maheshwari chief executive officer of the Noida authority.

The authority has Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) as its consultant to work on traffic issues. However, the consultant demanded ₹ 3.8 crore for the survey and report, which was refused by the authority.

“We cannot spend so much on this study work. Therefore, we will rope in some other agency that can do the job with less budget,” added Maheshwari.

Some engineers of the authority have suggested building an elevated road above the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and constructing an additional link road between Noida and Greater Noida along the Yamuna River that flows through the twin cities.

The 11-km stretch of the Yamuna Embankment Road was already constructed and opened to the public in June 2014. However, its 15km stretch remains incomplete.

The authority sent the detailed project report for this 15km road to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi for final approval in March 2016. The 15m wide road had an estimated cost of ₹ 275 crore for construction as per the DPR. However, the authority delayed the project later that year, citing a fund crunch.

The traffic police reported that over 150,000 motorists use the expressway daily. With the ongoing development of industrial, group housing, and institutional projects along the expressway, traffic is expected to increase further.

“Due to poor regulation on the expressway, it is not only unsafe but also remains congested most of the time, particularly near the Mahamaya Flyover and Kalindi Kunj,” said Deepak Sharma, the president of the Sector 105 Residents’ Welfare Association, adding that the Noida authority to address the congestion issue without delay.