Noida: Work starts for extra lane near Film City over traffic woes

Noida: The Noida authority on Monday started excavation work to construct an additional lane near Film City in a bid to manage traffic snarls often faced by commuters, officials said on Tuesday.

The step came as Noida continues to put up with heavy traffic congestion from the Chilla border to the Mahamaya Flyover due to multiple entry points from the DND Flyway, Mayur Vihar, Akshardham, and Film City, they added.

Anand Yadav, a daily commuter, who travels to his Delhi office from Noida’s Sector 26-located home, said facing congestion near Mahamaya Flyover on his return journey to home is a regular affair.

“To pass that stretch, I nearly waste 25 to 30 minutes every day. The concerned department should expedite the work to decongest the area because traffic pressure is also increasing by the day,” he said.

Rajendra Gupta, another commuter and Greater Noida resident, shared that the traffic situation on the Expressway and around the DND loop and Chilla border is worse.

“Whenever I use the Expressway during the peak hours of traffic, I encounter traffic on the Noida to Delhi side while returning, the same situation I face while going from Delhi to Noida. Coming from DND to Film City is also a nightmare. But when you take Chilla Border Road, the situation is also the same. There is a need to address the traffic situation,” he said.

In view of the prevailing situation, the Noida authority has launched the project to widen a section of the road between the Chilla border and the Film City Flyover. It involves adding an extra lane by merging the left sidewalk from the DND Flyway Loop to Film City, said officials.

The project that will focus on a 250-metre stretch is expected to complete within two months, with an estimated cost of ₹70 lakh.

Although the Noida Expressway currently has three lanes on each side, commuters experience heavy congestion during peak evening hours, particularly at the DND Flyway loop.

Vijay Rawal, deputy general manager at Noida authority, said that the project to widen the road has started. “The sidewalk will be removed to pave an additional lane. Nearly 11 trees have been removed, while 6-7 street poles, flowerpots, and cables will be shifted soon,” he said.

According to Noida traffic police, the DND Flyway handles nearly 300,000 vehicles every day while the Chilla border and Kalindi Kunj each manage around 100,000 vehicles. All these vehicles converge on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, which accommodates nearly 500,000 vehicles per day.