NOIDA: Around 400 farmers protesting on Noida main exit to Delhi have hit the pace of production in the industries and if roads remain closed for more days, production at many factories may suffer, fear entrepreneurs based in the city.
While some roads are open, suppliers have stopped sending goods and many factories are fast running out raw material, they said. Factory owners added that trucks are being stopped at border points and they have raw material left for only two days of construction.
Vipin Kumar Malhan, president of Noida Entrepreneurs Association, said, “We have raw materials to last through production cycles for two more days. We are not being able to send anything to Delhi or get anything from there as transporters do not want to take risks. Work is getting affected and it may get worse if the situation continues like this.”
Malhan added that transporters fear getting stuck on the roads. “We hope that the situation improves and it does not affect our work,” he said.
Amit Modi, MD of ABA Corp and vice-president of Credai Western UP, said that even if some roads are open, operators are not keen on working now. “I live in Delhi and all my projects are in Noida. For the past two days I have been trying to venture into the city but haven't been able to. Work may suffer as builders are not being able to source raw material,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kulmani Gupta, Noida chapter president of the Indian Industries Association (IIA), urged the administration to create a separate space for the protesting farmers. “We have already lost a few days and if a separate space can be made for the farmers then nobody will suffer,” Gupta said.
Ajay Goel, president of Noida Special Economic Zone Welfare Association (NSEZWA), also echoed similar concerns. “So far, it has been alright for SME operators as some roads are open. However, if this continues for a longer period, several industries will be affected directly or indirectly,” he said.
While many businessmen who source goods from Delhi have stopped all activities and are waiting for the protests to get over, some are still hopeful. “The Kalindi Kunj side is open and the DND Flyway too. However, traffic there is moving at a snail’s pace and is also a detour for many. So we have stopped all activities,” Sushil Kumar Jain, convenor of confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), said.
However, Balvinder Kumar, member, UP Rera, who resides in Delhi and attends the Greater Noida bench, said he will try his luck and go to the Greater Noida office on Friday. “Those who need to commute for work will have to do so. Hopefully, the DND Flyway will be free for inter-city commuters,” he said.
When asked about the movement of heavy vehicles containing raw material or construction goods, DCP (traffic) Ganesh Saha told TOI that such vehicles are not being stopped on DND Flyway and Kalindi Kunj.
“We haven’t received any complaints of goods trucks being stopped. In fact, traffic movement via DND and Kalindi Kunj is normal. Having said that, slight congestion is being witnessed on DND during peak hours but we are not stopping anybody,” he said.