Helping realise Noida’s potential

Leading citizens of India, who have made the city their home, discuss its future and prime concerns

A quarter century back, when a young middle-level executive N.M. Borah accompanied his senior to the Trans-Yamuna, he didn't know what to make of the boondocks. When his boss informed him that the company had bought 15-odd flats in the upcoming residential area, he had volubly hoped against ever coming to live in the area.

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On Wednesday evening, however, as the same N.M. Borah stood on the podium to speak at the Hindustan Times Noida First Conclave as the Chairman & Managing Director of Oil India Ltd, and a resident, he seemed to sum up not just his own growth story, but also of the area which he had dismissed 25 years ago — Noida.

In spite of growing discontent amongst the citizens of Noida over power-cuts, poor quality of drinking water
and the 'not-so-good' infrastructure, the panelists sounded hopeful about happy tidings for the city in future.
Sounding more positive, R. C. Bhargava, Chairman of Maruti Suzuki, India, suggested public-private partner-
ship (PPP) model to bring development.

“The Noida Authority can adopt PPP model along with principles of good corporate governance. An advisory board can be set up in the authority, but functioning should be within the framework of the UP government," he said.
Mentioning that it was efficiency, transparency and proximity to Delhi, which made Samsung India Electronics Ltd set up its plant and office in Noida, Samsung's Deputy Managaing Director Ravinder Zutshi suggested a set of ideas for Noida.

Bhargava said the UP government should brand Noida as an industry destination, just as Haryana did for Gurgaon.
Borah said Noida, in spite of having a world-class infrastructure, could do better. "We as citizens have a role to play in Noida's development and progress," he added.