Noida to open two infrastructure projects in two months

The Noida authority on Friday said it has decided to inaugurate its new administrative headquarters in Sector 96 and the Bhangel Elevated Road in the next two months.

These two projects missed many deadlines and saw cost escalations.

“We have decided to inaugurate these two projects in the next two months as both are being given final touches. We have directed staff to expedite the work so that they can be opened within the two-month deadline,” said Lokesh M, chief executive officer of the Noida authority.

The 5.5km six-lane Bhangel Elevated Road, constructed above the Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera (DSC) road, will improve connectivity between Noida and Greater Noida. Initially approved in 2013, the project was launched in June 2020 with an estimated budget of ₹468 crore. Delays and structural changes increased the cost to ₹608 crore.

“Once operational, the six-lane corridor will connect Agahpur to the Noida Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) in Sector 82. It will bypass several congested areas, including Chhalera, Barola, and Bhangel markets, significantly reducing travel time for daily commuters,” said Lokesh M.

The installation of nine 60metre steel girders near the Barola Crossing is scheduled to be completed this week, after which deck slabs will be laid over the following month, he added. Traffic diversions were put in place at Barola Crossing last month so that workers could complete the elevated road work.

The project has missed multiple deadlines — the first in December 2022, then December 2023, and then December 31, 2024. Structural modifications, including the narrowing of a 90-metre stretch due to two obstructing buildings, contributed to delays.

The Noida authority’s new building in Sector 96 is also in the final stages of completion. Conceived in 2009 and spread over six acres, the twin-tower building began construction in 2015 with a budget of ₹478 crore. However, due to poor construction quality and a delay of more than 450 days, the original contractor was blacklisted in 2022, and a new contractor was appointed. A structural audit by IIT-Delhi in 2023 flagged design flaws, including pillar placement, prompting corrective actions. The revised budget now stands at ₹304 crore.