1 crore additional penalty imposed on contractor for delaying Noida-Greater Noida Expressway work

NOIDA: The Noida authority on Sunday said that it has imposed a 1 crore penalty on the company commissioned to re-surface the 25km Noida-Greater Noida Expressway for not completing the work within the stipulated deadline, causing inconvenience to thousands of commuters. In addition to the penalty, Ritu Maheshwari, chief executive officer, Noida authority, also asked the firm to complete the work by November 30 this year. The authority has imposed a total penalty of 2.27 crore on the company in the past for missing multiple deadlines. Commuters faced severe problems during the Diwali rush with repairs still being conducted on the stretch.

The re-surfacing project began in 2019 with a budget of 70 crore and was to be completed by the end of 2020, officials said. Later the deadline was extended to the end of July 2021 as the firm failed to finish the work. The company missed this deadline too, and according to the last assurance provided by it, work was to be completed by the end of April 2022. However, 80% of work on one side of the expressway remains incomplete to date. “It is disappointing that the Noida authority has failed to repair the expressway and offer smooth passage to commuters. Despite multiple penalties, the firm did not care to better its execution. Now they are conducting resurfacing work without installing warning signals, putting commuters at risk and violating safety guidelines,” Amit Singh, a resident of Sector 130, said.

“Travelling on the expressway has become risky because all safety norms are being violated,” Deepak Rawal, a resident of Sector 105, said. “If the firm fails to complete the work by November 30, the authority will take further action. Work on a 16km-stretch on one side of the expressway Greater Noida to Noida remains unfinished. We have asked the firm to coordinate with traffic police to ensure the safety of commuters,” KV Singh, senior manager, Noida authority, said.

Traffic inspector Ashutosh Singh said, “We will adopt all safety precautions if the resurfacing work is done in consultation with us.” According to officials said, removing the 50mm-thick upper layer and replacing it with a 60mm-thick layer is taking longer than expected. They added that 30% of the material being removed will be recycled into the project. The Covid-19 pandemic and recent monsoons delayed the work further.

The 25km, six-lane expressway connects Delhi with the 165km Yamuna Expressway. According to traffic police, over 150,000 motorists use the expressway daily. The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) asked for re-surfacing the expressway to ensure smoother traffic flow. This expressway is usually resurfaced once in two years.