Noida: VIP movement gridlocks DND Flyway, Chilla border

Traffic flow was disrupted on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, DND Flyway, and Chilla border on Wednesday for over an hour owing to VIP movement to the international trade show at India expo mart in Greater Noida, senior traffic police officers said.

The snarls began around 10.45am and lasted until after noon, as traffic police halted movement at Chilla Border to allow the convoy of Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari to pass through. The minister was scheduled to inaugurate the four-day trade show, said traffic police. Later, traffic was again halted at the DND Flyway border for Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha to pass through. Around 2.15pm, traffic flow was again affected as these VIPs made their return journeys to Delhi via DND Flyway.

The frequent snarls and blockades left commuters frustrated, who took to social media platform X to vent their ire. One user tagged the Noida traffic police, and , “There is massive traffic congestion at DND and the road from Chilla to Mahamaya Flyover. Vehicles are crawling, and we cannot do anything except wait.”

Traffic police tried to play it cool on Wednesday and said they issued a public advisory on Tuesday alerting residents and commuters about the blockades to facilitate VIP movement.

“We issued a traffic advisory about the VIP movement. For the safe passage of the Union Minister and J&K lieutenant governor, traffic was halted for 15 to 20 minutes at DND Flyway, Chilla border and roads leading to the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. We also made diversions and alerted commuters about the same. Additional forces were deployed to manage congestion in the city,” Lakhan Singh Yadav, deputy commissioner of police, traffic.

But commuters were not to be mollified.

Akash Mishra, who was travelling from Delhi to his workplace in Sector 113, Noida, said, “We have to suffer due to VIP movement. There are multiple instances every month when traffic on DND and Chilla border is stopped because someone from Delhi is visiting the expo centre. VIPs must try to reach the venue by air, without disturbing regular commuters who are just trying to get to work.”

The disruption was caused by two separate convoy movements, initially around 10.45am for Nitin Gadkari’s convoy from Chilla border, followed by another stoppage for Manoj Sinha’s convoy at DND Flyway border. The 20 minutes between the two scheduled blockades caused significant congestion, which lasted for over an hour at the Delhi-Noida borders and within Noida.

“On Wednesday morning, we were informed that the Union minister would reach the programme venue via DND Flyway and LG via Chilla border. But before reaching the Delhi-Noida border, we were informed of changes in the plan and that the Union minister was coming via Chilla border. The gap between two fleets plus peak traffic triggered snarls. We manage the traffic in real time and diverted vehicles to ease the pressure,” said a traffic police officer, asking not to be named.

Gadkari had come to inaugurate Bauma Conexpo India 2024, an international trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, etc. Over 1,000 brands from about 100 countries will participate in the four-day expo that will end on Saturday.

Earlier, traffic DCP Yamuna Prasad was moved to police lines on November 27 following congestion around the India expo mart, when a pharmaceutical event was organised there.