Noida-Greater Noida to Get New Six-Lane Elevated Expressway.

Commuters traveling between Delhi-NCR and the upcoming Noida International Airport are set to benefit from a new six-lane elevated expressway. The Uttar Pradesh government has directed the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) to spearhead the construction of this crucial riverside bypass, which will connect the Okhla barrage near Kalindi Kunj to the Yamuna Expressway, traversing the Hindon-Yamuna doab.

This development marks a shift from earlier considerations by the Noida Authority, which had explored both an eight-lane ground-level road and the now-approved six-lane elevated corridor. Officials cited extensive illegal constructions and farmhouses in the Yamuna floodplains as key factors making the elevated option more feasible. They argued that a ground-level road would not only encounter significant regulatory hurdles but also risk further encroachments in the flood-prone zone.

"A ground-level road would not have met the capacity or regulatory requirements. So, an elevated six-lane is the only viable solution," Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M stated to the Times of India.

The revised alignment proposes a connection between Sector 168 and a 75-meter-wide road situated between Sectors 149A and 150. While some design adjustments are anticipated in the final plan, the elevated expressway promises direct connectivity for those traveling from Delhi and Faridabad to the Noida International Airport, slated to commence operations this year.

Initially, the Noida Authority had explored the possibility of involving the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the project, which would have required designating the road as a national highway. However, this plan did not materialize.

During a board meeting on March 28, UP Chief Secretary and board chairperson Manoj Kumar Singh suggested that if the NHAI plan fell through, the Noida, Greater Noida, and Yamuna Expressway authorities should jointly undertake the project. Singh subsequently directed the Noida Authority to take the lead in its execution.

According to CEO Lokesh M, "The proposed expressway will be executed by UPEIDA, a nodal agency known for executing major expressways like the Lucknow-Agra Expressway and the Purvanchal Expressway, after the irrigation department issues a no-objection certificate. The project's cost is to be shared by all three development authorities. A joint meeting will be held soon to finalize the execution plan."

This new elevated expressway is expected to significantly improve connectivity and reduce travel time between Noida, Greater Noida, Delhi, Faridabad, and the highly anticipated Noida International Airport, boosting economic activity in the region.

ET