Noida traffic police readies SOS plans for key routes

Noida: To tackle emergency situations or excessive traffic pressure, the Noida traffic police have prepared SOS traffic diversion plans for Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, 130-metre road, and Surajpur, said officials on Monday, adding that all traffic personnel have been apprised about the new plan and the situations to apply it in.

“We have made as many as 22 emergency traffic diversion points for key routes in Noida and Greater Noida. Most of the points fall under Noida Expressway, as traffic pressure typically remains high on that stretch,” said deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Lakhan Singh Yadav.

“The SOS plan was created to maintain the flow of traffic to avoid long snarls of vehicles,” he said.

The emergency traffic diversion will be enforced when traffic personnel observe that congestion is about to build up or in a gridlock situation. During VIP movements, the traffic police can also implement this restriction on particular routes.

“There are 11 emergency traffic diversion points from Noida to the Greater Noida side on Noida Expressway, and seven from Greater Noida to Noida side. Two diversion points are located near 130-metre road, and Surajpur area in Greater Noida,” according to the data provided by Noida traffic police.

If the traffic police find pressure on Film City Road from Delhi to Noida Expressway side, traffic will be diverted towards Sector 16. Similarly, traffic will be diverted towards Sector 18 if congestion is reported near Mahamaya flyover, officers said.

Traffic police said that if they face pressure on Noida-Greater Noida Expressway near Mahamaya flyover, Sector 96, Advant Navis, etc., then traffic will be diverted towards Sector 37, 44, and 93.

Similarly, if the traffic pressure increases near Mahamaya flyover, Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal, DND Flyway, Sector 14A, etc., then traffic will be diverted towards Charkha roundabout via Sector 94, Mahamaya flyover to Sector 37, and DND Flyway.

Such an emergency diversion plan will be in place for barely 15 to 20 minutes, or a maximum of half-an-hour, until the congestion eases, officials said.

Dr S. Velmurugan, head, traffic engineering and safety division, Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi said, “For DND Flyway, Chilla border, and Noida Greater-Noida Expressway, there is no other alternative unless the traffic police inform road users about congestion via social media, messages, or any other platform. Once the commuters are informed about the congestion, they will take another route as per their convenience.”

“Pushing the traffic to different routes will add more congestion for the ones already using that stretch. The traffic police can reduce the speed limit on the expressway, which can reduce the chances of congestion and enhance safety as well,” he added.

Anand Mishra, a resident of Sector 37 and daily commuter to Delhi for office, said, “Diverting the traffic to another route will add more time and fuel to our pockets. Instead of diversion, the traffic police should regulate the traffic properly, which leads to congestion.”