The Noida Authority has scrapped its plan to widen a 400-meter stretch of the Noida–Greater Noida Expressway near Sector-95 after the main gate of the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal was found obstructing the proposed carriageway.

The project, aimed at easing daily traffic congestion between Mahamaya Flyover and Sector-14A, was part of a Rs 9.5 crore scheme prepared by consultant firm TPA Engineering Pvt Ltd. However, the authority admitted that the design failed to account for the gate and an underground rainwater drain, making the widening unfeasible.

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As per the plan, the authority had already shortened footpaths and added one lane between Sector-14A and Film City, besides shifting 13 trees to expand the DND Loop. Around Rs 1.5 crore has been spent, but congestion persists near the Prerna Sthal stretch.

Nearly 10 lakh vehicles use the expressway daily, often facing bottlenecks near Sector-18 flyover and DND Loop. The abandoned scheme would have widened the service lane to 5.5 meters, taking the carriageway to 45 meters, offering major relief to commuters.

CEO Dr Lokesh M said, “Due to security concerns, the main gate of Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal cannot be shifted. Therefore, alternative options are being explored to tackle the traffic problem.”

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The cancellation has raised questions about the consultant company, which was paid Rs 5 lakh for the survey and design. Critics are asking why such a major obstruction was overlooked until halfway through project execution.