Work on interchange loop in Noida to begin soon, say Yeida officials

The work on a cloverleaf interchange loop which, once completed, will seamlessly connect Yamuna Expressway with the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE), will begin as soon as the land issue is resolved, according to officials

The work on a cloverleaf interchange loop which, once completed, will seamlessly connect Yamuna Expressway with the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE), will begin as soon as the land issue is resolved, according to officials.

File Photo – Noida, India – November 27, 2014: Following the intelligence input about terrorist attack, the Gautam Budh Nagar police have virtually transformed the Yamuna Expressway into a fortress, in Noida, India, on Thursday, November 27, 2014. (Photo by Burhaan Kinu / Hindustan Times)

Officials of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) said the work on this project has been delayed because farmers in the area refused to give up their land for this project because they wanted additional compensation.

“We have discussed the issues with the landowners, who are now ready to give their land. Work on this project is about to start,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer of Yeida.

The loop is to be built on 57 hectares of land.

“The Yeida, in 2000, acquired the land at a rate of ₹1,300 per sqm. But in 2008, the government bought land for Eastern Peripheral Expressway and other projects from farmers at a rate of ₹3,500 per sqm. We, therefore, need more compensation. If it happens, we will let the work begin on loop,” said Mukesh Kumar, a farmer from Afzalpur. Land from the village is earmarked for the loop project.

The loop is a crucial project as it will also provide direct connectivity from the upcoming Jewar airport to Delhi-NCR via the EPE.

In the absence of the loop, motorists from Noida, Greater Noida and Delhi face inconvenience reaching EPE as they have to travel through many congested villages such as Kasna and Ghangola. This loop will immensely benefit motorists and offer a smooth ride to thousands of commuters, who use the 165km Yamuna Expressway and EPE.

Yeida was scheduled to start work on the loop, to be built at a cost of ₹83.94 crore, by July 2019. The authority, in June 2019, issued a tender and hired a contractor for the project. It had fixed a deadline of 18 months for the project from the day the work starts on the ground.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which built the 135km EPE, will fund the project and Yeida will construct the entry and exit to connect the two important expressways. The EPE passes above the 165km Yamuna Expressway, near the Noida International University and Galgotia University campuses.