Survey suggests underpass at Kisan Chowk in Greater Noida

GREATER NOIDA: A preliminary survey conducted by the Greater Noida authority has suggested an underpass at Kisan Chowk to make the busy intersection in Greater Noida West free of traffic congestion, officials said on Sunday

GREATER NOIDA: A preliminary survey conducted by the Greater Noida authority has suggested an underpass at Kisan Chowk to make the busy intersection in Greater Noida West free of traffic congestion, officials said on Sunday.

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In November 2019, the authority had roped in RITES, an engineering consultancy company of the central government, to prepare a comprehensive mobility plan for better traffic management in the city. Now, RITES has completed its preliminary survey of five major traffic junctions in the city -- Kisan Chowk, Tilapata Chowk, Surajpur entry point, Pari Chowk and Honda Chowk.

“RITES has suggested an underpass at Kisan Chowk. But for now, we will get rid of congestion at the five traffic junctions by improving the management with strict enforcement until the final report comes in,” said Narendra Bhooshan, chief executive officer of the Greater Noida authority.

According to the officials, RITES will conduct a detailed survey, prepare a DPR and chalk out a strategy to take effective steps to decongest all the five busy traffic junctions. The mobility plan will be prepared keeping in mind the rise in population of the city in the next 10 years, they said. The city’s population, one million at present, is expected to rise to 2.5 million in the next 10 years, according to an estimate by the authority.

The authority has hired the consultant for 20 years as the industrial city needs to be developed as ‘smart city’, said the officials.

The authority officials said major traffic issues in Greater Noida include lack of pedestrian infrastructure, jams at major intersections and no designated space for hawkers, among others.

Residents said that the authority should plan traffic infrastructure well in advance. “With only 25-30% flat occupancy in the Greater Noida West area, we witness perennial traffic congestion on roads with no dedicated lanes for cyclists or pedestrians,” said Vivek Raman, a city resident who is also the president of Greater Noida West entrepreneur association.