Roads in Noida

Said a PWD official: "Eleven metre-wide, three-lane flyover will facilitate signal-free movement at the Mayur Vihar phase-I junction and will provide relief to Noida-goers who use the UP Link Road. This flyover is part of the overall UP Link Road project which comprises construction of one more six-lane dual carriageway flyover over DND junction and one small bridge at Chilla Regulator.''

Added the official: "This project also includes widening of existing six-lane UP Link Road to eight lane, construction of cycle track in Mayur Vihar side and service lane on Yamuna riverside along with construction of three foot-overbridges at different locations and footpaths on both sides of the road for safe pedestrian movement.'' The total sanction amount of this project is Rs 334 crore. This project is expected to be completed by September 15, 2010.

Said an official: "While the work on this project started in October 28, it faced a lot of delays thereafter, as there was some problem relating to handing over land on Yamuna riverside by government of UP. The land was ultimately acquired towards the end of 2009.''

Incessant rains have increased the water level of the river, they said adding that the traffic on the road has been diverted to alternative routes.

Heavy showers have drenched several parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in north India triggering landslides, and blocking vehicular traffic.

Traffic jams between Ghaziabad and Delhi might soon be a thing of the past. In two separate meetings, officials of the Ghaziabad Development Authority and the district administration have decided to add four more lanes to the six-lane road between Maharajpur border and Dabur Chowk and make the National Highway 24 between UP Gate and Dasna eight-lane.

Travelling between Ghaziabad and Delhi during peak hours is not an easy ride. Officials said traffic between Maharajpur border and Dabur Chowk, which leads to Mohan Nagar crossing, creates chaos even for the resident of Vaishali and Vasundhara. Ghaziabad district magistrate Hridyesh Kumar, in a meeting with the officials, thus decided the road should be made ten-lane.

"Commuters get stuck at Dabur Chowk while plying between Ghaziabad and Delhi. Most jams occur at Mohan Nagar crossing. The traffic situation could be improved if the roads are widened. For this, we have decided to make the road a ten-lane road for a smooth and jam-free drive," Kumar said.

Source: The Indian Express By Pragya Kaushika Wider roads to make it a smooth drive between Ghaziabad, Delhi

At present, the four-laned road from Ghaziabad border to Dasna is one of the most congested NH corridors in the country. Ministry officials said the Rs 300-crore widening project, that may take three years for completion, would make this stretch almost signal-free.

Unlike the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, the four-laned road from Ghaziabad border to Dasna will not be converted into a toll road even after the widening work is completed. Ministry officials said this decision was taken bearing in mind that a large section of the traffic using this stretch is local. Officials expect traffic on this road to grow in view of increased occupancy in residential areas along NH-24.

``This will be a cash contract project and we are hopeful of awarding it in the next one month. We have consciously decided not to follow the public private partnership (PPP) model. We felt that there would be strong opposition if we made it a toll road,'' said a top ministry official. He added that under the scheme, the existing road will be widened and there is a provision of constructing elevated structures as well.

Source: Times Of India Highway to Hapur to be eight-laned

"Further directions have been issued to speed up the work at the under-construction underpass at the Rajnigandha Crossing. Work was progressing very slowly at this site. The contractor has been told to make it operational before Games," said  Sahdev.

At Rajnigandha Crossing a two-way underpass with a total length of 660  metres is under construction. It will have six lanes. The total cost of the project is around Rs 38 crore. This underpass will ease the traffic coming from  the DND Flyway.

As these two tracks are on a parallel route to the Metro Rail track, a flyover passage was not possible at these junctions, therefore, only an underground passage was being constructed. Its projected date of completion is October 2010.

Source: Hindustan Times By Kapil Datta Games Delay Noida Flyover

It's not just route patrol services that you can use. A towaway crane, ambulance and fire tender too have to be provided by the agency that collects toll from motorists in need, the query revealed.

The RTI application was filed by Vedpal, a resident of south Delhi, after he was charged illegally by the NHAI authorities for getting his vehicle removed from the toll road after an accident.

Vedpal was asked to pay Rs.1,500 to get his vehicle towed away after an accident while returning to Delhi from Jaipur.

"It was 2 a.m. when I met with an accident. I called the NHAI authorities for help. They asked me to pay Rs.1,500 and when I refused they said they won't help me," Vedpal told IANS. "I was forced to pay the amount," he said, adding he had no option.

Source: Thaindian.com By Praveen Kumar Car breakdown or accident on toll highway? Seek free help

This route will be four-laned. It will be built through PPP (public private partnership) scheme. The plan will cost about Rs 1,258 crore.

Uttar Pradesh government's chief executive officer and special secretary Ishtdev Prasad Rai held a meeting with the administrative and public works department from Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat and Saharanpur districts and discussed the plan and issued necessary directions to make it successful.

He said under the scheme, encroachments, electric and telephone poles and trees have to be removed and the need for additional land-related estimate should be made available as soon as possible.

He said the PPP developer will construct the road under the scheme and also lay route drainage system, service road and four-lane road. The route will be equipped with all facilities.

Cars from Gurgaon coming to IGI and its brand new Terminal 3 building will have a dedicated three-lane road.

The road, which is in the final stages of construction, will take motorists directly from the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway on NH-8 to the Airport road, which leads to the IGI Airport.

What is even better, motorists will not have to pay any toll to use the new road, which is being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India.

The new road will begin on the expressway just before Radisson hotel and end near the expressway's IGI Airport toll plaza.

At present, the traffic coming from Gurgaon and bound towards the airport have to take the road on the left side of the Mahipalpur crossing under the elevated expressway.

This then hits a roundabout, which is already a jostle of cars coming from Gurgaon, from the Ring Road and Mahipalpur.

Once the slip road is ready, they will have a dedicated three lane corridor that will lead them to the Airport road without clashing with the south Delhi traffic. The slip road will segregate the traffic flow bound to the airport.

"The three lane slip road will be a great help to Gurgaon residents and ease traffic congestion," said NHAI spokesman

कॉमनवेल्थ गेम्स बिल्कुल पास आ चुका है। ऐसे में चौक की खस्ता हालत शहर की छवि को बिगाड़ेगी। सौंदर्यीकरण के कई काम करा रही अथॉरिटी का सबसे प्रमुख चौराहा ही अस्तव्यस्त होगा। अथॉरिटी अधिकारी न तो कंस्ट्रक्शन कंपनी के खिलाफ कोई एक्शन ले रहे हैं , न ही काम तेज गति से करा पा रहे हैं। रजनीगंधा अंडरपास प्रोजेक्ट की शुरुआत 2 दिसंबर 2008 से हुई थी। जिसके लिए 42. 72 लाख रुपये का बजट अथॉरिटी ने मंजूर किया था।

समझौते के मुताबिक कंस्ट्रक्शन कंपनी को 18 महीने में प्रोजेक्ट तैयार करना था। लेकिन कंपनी बेहद लेटलतीफी से काम कर रही है। अथॉरिटी के अधिकारी कंपनी को इसके लिए दोषी तो मानते हैं , लेकिन कार्रवाई के नाम पर चुप्पी साध लेते हैं। एक अधिकारी ने बताया कि अगर ऐसे की लेटलतीफी से काम चलता रहा तो कंपनी पर 10 पर्सेंट की पेनल्टी लग सकती

अभी तक ग्रेटर नोएडा से नोएडा के सेक्टर-70, 71 और आसपास के एरिया तक पहुंचने के लिए डीएससी रोड से होकर जाना पड़ता था। इसके लिए वाहन चालकों को करीब 25 किलोमीटर की दूरी तय करनी पड़ती है। साथ ही तीन स्थानों पर ट्रैफिक जाम से भी जूझना पड़ता है। सूरजपुर से आगे बढ़ने पर नोएडा के भंगेल, सलारपुर और बरौला में जाम लगता है। इसके चलते वाहन चालकों को इन तीनों कस्बों को क्रॉस करने में आधा से पौना घंटे का समय लग जाता है। इसके चलते वाहन चालकों को ग्रेटर नोएडा से नोएडा के सेक्टर-70, 71 और आसपास के एरिया में जाने के लिए एक से डेढ घंटे का समय लग जाता है।

इन एरिया में जाने वाले लोगों के लिए एक और विकल्प बन गया है। अब सूरजपुर स्थित यामाहा कंपनी के पास से होकर जाने वाली सड़क नोएडा के सेक्टर-70 व 71 से डाइरेक्ट कनेक्ट हो गई है। यह पर्थला खंजरपुर पुल के जरिये कनेक्ट की गई है। इस पुल की एक लेन बनकर तैयार हो गई है। दूसरी लेन पर तेजी से काम चल रहा है। ग्रेटर नोएडा से नोएडा के बीच अप-डाउन करने वाले काफी लोगों ने इस रूट का यूज करना शुरू कर दिया है। इस रूट के शुरू होने के कारण अब दोनों शहरों के बीच की दूरी घटकर 15 किलोमीटर से भी कम रह गई है। इससे लोगों के समय और ईंधन दोनों की बचत हो रही है। करीब 20 मिनट में लोग ग्रेटर नोएडा से नोएड़ा पहुंचने लगे हैं।

गाजियाबाद जाना भी हुआ आसान
इसके अलावा पर्थला खंजरपुर पुल के निकट बने गोल चक्कर (नोएडा एक्सटेंशन) से विपरीत दिशा में गाजियाबाद के लिए भी शॉर्ट कट रोड बन गया है। इसके जरिये बगैर इटैड़ा गांव में घुसे एनएच-24 पर गाजियाबाद के एबीएस कॉलेज के पास पहुंच सकते हैं। गाजियाबाद से नोएडा और ग्रेटर नोएडा अप-डाउन करने वाले लोग इस रूट का यूज कर रहे हैं।

Thirty eight state highway projects spanning across 3000 km and requiring investments to the tune of Rs 12,557 crore will be taken up on public private partnership (PPP) basis in 2011-12.

Feasibility study has been initiated for another six projects worth Rs 1044 crore.

According to a Planning Commission paper on state highways in the country, half of the projects up for grabs in 2011-12 will be in Uttar Pradesh.

According to the paper, 41 projects worth Rs 17,591 crore and connecting 4,531 km are currently undergoing bidding. Of these, 11 are in Maharashtra.

"This will come as a good option for regional players, who can scale up operations. So, it will be significant, but will take time," said Rajesh Samson, partner, (transaction advisory) Ernst & Young.

On standardisation of bidding procedure for state highways, Samson said, "States have already started using the model agreement of the NHAI. They have adopted it with some changes here and there."

According to the information received by Planning Commission from states/UTs, a total of 73 PPP projects have been completed with a total investment of Rs 8,353 crore.

Sixty two projects are currently under implementation, with an estimated investment of Rs 56,406 crore, which includes two expressways in Uttar Pradesh. The two expressway projects in Uttar Pradesh are the Yamuna Expressway and the Greater Noida-Balia expressway with a capital investment of Rs 9,935 crore and Rs 30,000, crore, respectively.

Andhra Pradesh is implementing a maximum number of projects (18) followed by Maharashtra (12) and Madhya Pradesh (10).

A Public Works Department (PWD) official said work on the first flyover being built at the Mayur Vihar Phase-I crossing is almost complete. "We are giving final touches to the flyover. It will be opened any time after July 10. Work on the second flyover is also at an advanced stage,'' said a PWD official.

This will bring temporary relief to some 50,000 commuters who use the stretch every day.

PWD minister Raj Kumar Chauhan had earlier claimed the 700-metre single-carriageway flyover would be opened by mid-April but PWD later revised the completion date to June-end.

PWD officials said the second flyover, which will have two carriageways, is likely to be completed in August. The 1.2km six-lane flyover will allow straight-moving traffic to skip the Samachar Apartment and DND flyover crossing for straight-moving traffic. "We got the land for the project from the UP government only last December. Every construction project needs a certain minimum time for completion. We have expedited work since we got possession of the land and are hopeful the project will meet its Games deadline,'' said a senior official.

Source: Times Of India UP link road flyover to open soon

Giving details of the work to the media persons the district magistrate Hirdyesh Kumar, in a Press conference on Saturday, said after the meeting with the district and the GDA officials the surface transport Secretary Brahm Dutt ordered to initiate the work within the current month. According to the DM, the National Highway -24 from Nizamuddin to Dasna would be made 8 lane highway in the first phase and 14 lanes subsequently in the second phase. Five under passes would also be made between UP Gate and Lal Kuan for that Rs. 277 crore has been sanctioned. The secretary instantly ordered to float tenders on Tuesday itself and initiate work within 15 days claimed the DM. The same NH-24 would be made 6 lane highway from Dasna to Hapur simultaneously which is currently having four lanes.

To expedite work on eastern peripheral expressway from Dasna to Meerut a survey is being conducted. A three member team consisting officials from state revenue department and NHAI would submit its report within 15 days to present module how to expedite the work on fast pace.

The National Highway-58 would be made 6 lanes from Meerut road tri-junction to Modinagar. The National Highway-91 would be made four lanes from Lal Kuan to Bulandshahr. And the same highway within the city limits from Lal Kuan to Mohannagar would be widened as maximum as could be maximized simultaneously claimed the DM in the press conference. All these works are to be concluded before the commencement of commonwealth games 2010 in Delhi added the DM.

A meeting was held in Ghaziabad between the officials of state development agencies, National Highways Authority of India and Road Transport and Highways (Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways) secretary.

District magistrate Hridesh Kumar said the major stress was on expediting the joint-survey for the Delhi-Meerut eightlane expressway. Also, the stretch between Nizamuddin in Delhi and Dasna in Ghaziabad on NH-24, which is a part of the Delhi-Meerut expressway, will be expanded to eight lanes with five underpasses at various areas in Ghaziabad connecting it to Noida, officials said.

The decision on six-laning of Mohan Nagar-Meerut section on the NH-58 and upgrade of the Lal Kuan stretch to four lanes on NH-91 was also finalised at the meeting, Kumar said.

htreporters@hindustantimes.com

Your drive down the country's highways is set to get smoother, specially at toll plazas.
The roads and highways ministry is considering a pre-paid tag for vehicles that will allow non-stop transit and on-the-go toll deduction.

Not just this, the new system will minimise toll booth losses, ministry officials said.

The spark for this idea came from a committee under Nandan Nilekani's Unique Identification Authority, which is working towards creating unique IDs for all citizens. The committee made the toll tag recommendation to the ministry.

This technology is already in use in the US and South America and is economical, compared to other such systems worldwide. The technology allows tamper-resistant stickers that can be placed on windshields and cost Rs 100 per tag with almost unlimited life. The tag would have details of the car, which would be read by the reader at the booth.

prasad.n@hindustantimes.com

Source: Hindustan Times By Prasad Nichenametla Hassled at toll booth? Pre-paid tag for your car is on the way

The petitioners had filed the petition challenging the notification issued under sections 4, 6, 17 (1) (4) of the Land Acquisition Act. The state government had acquired the land for six-lane Yamuna Expressway project in Gautambudh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, etc.

The petitioners were land owners, bhumihars and persons in possession of the lands. The writ petitions were opposed by chief standing counsel MC Chaturvedi who had contended that most of the tenure holders had taken the compensation for their acquired lands on the basis of 'karar' (agreement).

Dismissing the writ petitions, the court held the ground that construction of Yamuna Expressway is of great public importance and is linked to Commonwealth Games, 2010 and further that most of the tenure-holders had accepted the compensation towards their acquired lands.

`With the stretch becoming operational, the drive to Ghaziabad during peak hours will become smoother. We have completed all major works at the crossing. Minor finishing works will continue,'' said project manager Deepak Panwar.

The other carriageway of the flyover Ghaziabad to Delhi was thrown open to the public last week. The 635 metre long, dual-carriageway underpass connecting Anand Vihar to Kalyanpuri has already been made operational. PWD officials said the drive on the stretch will be smoother by the end of this month with the completion of a 6-lane flyover on Road No 56.

Once completed, the stretch will house 14 lanes. Officials said there is a provision to add two more lanes to the stretch since a BRT corridor has been planned along it. For safe passage of pedestrians, PWD will build three foot-overbridge (FOBs) with escalators two on NH-24 and one on Road No 56.

The 770 metre-long, eightlane elevated stretch over Ghazipur crossing was the second major road project undertaken by PWD to improve connectivity between Delhi and Ghaziabad. The flyover at Apsara border connecting the two cities is already operational. Ghazipur crossing is a critical junction for lakhs of commuters travelling between Ghaziabad and Delhi. ``Though there was some relief for straight-moving traffic after PWD reworked the traffic circulation plan, the opening of both carriageways of the flyover will make the drive hassle-free. We will still be made to to wait at the Mayur Vihar Phase II crossing. But that's not a major one,'' said Radhamohan, a daily commuter.

Ghazipur crossing is one of the busiest junctions in east Delhi. As per earlier estimates, nearly 13,000 vehicles use the crossing during peak hours, as does traffic entering Delhi from other states.

This is the second major project after the Ganga Expressway of 1,000 kms from Noida to Ballia, which is already in doldrums due to its non-clearance by the environment ministry.

Clarifying its position in an official press release issued here on Saturday, the government has stated that no work would be undertaken on the upper Ganga Canal Expressway, till the time the environment ministry clears it. As on date, there was no work being done on this, the press release clarified.

However, the second carriage way of the flyover is likely to be opened nearly after a week. The opening of the four-lane carriageway will offer a big respite to the commuters residing in areas like Ghaziabad, Indirapuram and Kaushambi who had to jostle amid heavy traffic jam at Ghazipur intersection on their way to the national Capital.

According to the Public Works Department (PWD), the opening of the flyover will also facilitate uninterrupted movement to the Commonwealth athletes and games officials from Games Village to Yamuna Sports Complex during the Commonwealth Games in October.

According to PWD, the grade separator at Ghazipur will ensure smooth movement of traffic on the NH-24 to Indirapuram and other parts of Ghazibad through the flyover. The 770-metre-long eight-lane flyover is being built at a cost of Rs 246 crore with three-foot overbridges with escalators.

Source: The Pioneer Say goodbye to traffic snarls, Ghazipur flyover opens today

Noida adjoins with Delhi, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, so the city has more than half a dozen entry and exit points, but entry point located near Sector 62 witnesses a large amount of traffic as it is connected with National Highway-24. Noida Authority (NA) and Traffic Police have a combined responsibility to maintain the smooth traffic on this road, but residents say that both authorities are not doing anything to solve the problem of traffic jams.

Manoj Sharma, a resident of Sector 62 said, "My office is located in Sector 18 so I use this road every day and have to face traffic jams all the time between the stretch of Sector 62 Chowki and Uflex cut. I have noticed many reasons of this problem, in which unwanted cuts of service lanes are one of them. People use these cuts to enter the industrial sectors, etc which leads to traffic jams many times. Apart from that, lack of police personnel on signals is also a major cause of jams."

Source: Jagranctyplus.com Traffic chaos chokes Sector 62 main road