Delhi-Noida road bottlenecks to widen

Monday, Oct 25, 2010



The connectivity between Delhi and Noida will get better in a month's time. After a survey on vehicular pressure, the work has started to expand three points at Sector 8, Jhundpura and Kondli in Noida to facilitate smooth and greater vehicular flow. The three narrow points — connecting Noida to
East Delhi — have a daily pressure of 70,000 vehicles. Their expansion will ease traffic snarls on the four existing full-fledged links — NH-24, Mayur Vihar, Kalindi Kunj and DND Flyway.

Despite the Metro service, connectivity between the two cities has been a problem. The Sector 8 point is burdened by vehicular pressure from Vasundhara Enclave and Mayur Vihar (both in Delhi). Jhundpura receives traffic from Delhi via Ghazipur. Vehicles coming from Mayur Vihar Phase-III also enter Noida via Kondli. The last two points lead to Sector 11 in Noida, causing traffic snarls during peak hours.

Currently, DND Flyway takes Noida traffic to Ring Road in minutes and has a daily pressure of 2.5 lakh vehicles. Kalindi Kunj bridge connects Noida and Ghaziabad to Delhi and Faridabad with a daily pressure of 1.25 lakh vehicles.

While NH-24 connects Delhi to Noida at two points - Khoda and Model Town - and about one lakh vehicles use this stretch for this purpose, about 1.25 lakh vehicles go to Greater Noida from Delhi via Mayur Vihar. Once the three links are expanded, traffic will ease considerably on the four existing full-fledged links, especially NH-24 and DND Flyway, besides reducing jams in the city.

Besides, the Noida authority has plans to provide an alternative to DND Flyway. "There are some legal hurdles. We have our surveys done. Hopefully, work on a six-lane link parallel to Kalindi Kunj Yamuna Bridge will start within a year," said NP Singh, deputy CEO of Noida authority. "More coordination is required between the governments of Delhi and UP.

There have been several rounds of talks for providing taxi services across Delhi and NCR and I am hopeful," he added.

Under a concession agreement between Noida Toll Bridge Company Limited and Noida authority, there is a clause that Noida will not build a competing facility for a period of 10 years. The agreement was signed in November 1997. DND Flyway became operational in February 2001. By February 2011, the ten-year period will expire and there will be no obstruction for Noida to build another bridge.

People who commute via Kalindi Kunj Yamuna Bridge have been facing traffic jams everyday.

This bridge was built in the eighties and the main purpose was to check the flow of river to prevent floods and link Noida with Mathura road. As it is just a 2-lane link on one side it cannot cope with the present volume of traffic.

Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Delhi-Noida-road-bottlenecks-to-widen/Article1-616599.aspx