3 big Noida infra projects ready for Jan 24 opening

NOIDA: Three mega infrastructure projects in the city were reviewed by Alok Tandon, chairperson and (CCEO) of Noida Authority, on Wednesday ahead of their proposed launch on January 24, Uttar Pradesh Day. The state government has planned large-scale celebrations on the day, which is the state's foundation day.
According to officials, the three projects on Tandon's radar included the multi-level parking at Sector 18 and two underpasses at sector 94-95 and 60-61. Another long-delayed bridge across the Yamuna River near Kalindi Kunj was also reviewed by the CCEO, besides a parallel bridge across the Shahdara drain at the same location. The project has missed three deadlines so far of August 2016, March 2017 and December 2017. Presently, it is chasing a new target date of June 2018.

While the three projects, which are undergoing finishing touches will be inaugurated on January 24, Tandon directed officials to expedite the other projects and to complete them as per scheduled deadlines.

R K Mishra, additional CEO (ACEO) of Noida Authority, said, "The CCEO was satisfied with the progress of the three projects, all of which have missed their deadlines and have been delayed previously. However, all the three are in their final stages of completion and will be ready for use in 3 weeks. They will provide major relief to commuters from traffic congestion once they open."

The Sector 18 multi-level parking facility will accomodate 3,000 vehicles once it is ready and will considerably decongest the gridlocked commercial area. At present, nearly 2,000-2,500 vehicles park in the sector daily. Work on the facility commenced in July 22, 2013 and it was initially slated to be complete by July 21, 2015. Since then the project has missed seven deadlines.

A Rs 40 crore underpass project near Noida's sectors 94-95, which will make the stretch between Kalindi Kunj in Delhi and NH-24 signal-free, has also been mired in endless delays for more than two years. It was supposed to be completed by June 2015. It will also benefit the commuters going from Delhi to sectors 125 and 94 in Noida, who currently use the Mahamaya flyover.

Another Rs 60 crore underpass at a major crossing of the city near Uflex in Sector 60, is facing a delay of nearly a year. What should have been ready by December 2016, the facility is being opened on January 24. The 650-metre long facility with 3-lanes along each carriageway in combination with other underpasses in its vicinity, is expected to provide signal free connectivity between Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad.