The construction of a metro pillar by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on the Indirapuram side of NH9/DME has led to the closure of the slip road connecting NH9 to CISF Road, a major artery linking the highway with Vasundhara. This closure has forced traffic from Noida Sector 62 to take a detour of approximately 4 kilometers, exacerbating congestion on an already busy stretch.
Impact on Commuters
Commuters traveling from Sector 62 in Noida now have to take the underpass and continue for nearly 2 kilometers on the DME. They must then turn left onto Pushta Road, travel for another 1 to 1.5 kilometers, and navigate through Ahimsa Khand via Ram Manohar Lohia Marg before reaching CISF Road. One commuter, who works at an automobile store in Shipra Sun City market, expressed frustration: "Every day I have to take this 4 km detour. There is so much traffic on this stretch during office hours and I am always running late for work. It seems dozens of development works — road, drain, and now metro — have started in Indirapuram all at once, with no coordination between authorities."
Wider Infrastructure Issues
The digging of roads across Indirapuram has further complicated commuting. Since the township was handed over to the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation on October 3, 2024, much of Indirapuram has become a patchwork of excavation sites. Roadsides are dug up for laying pipelines, repairing drainage lines, or installing utility poles, with pits often remaining open for weeks or months.
DMRC's Explanation
A DMRC official stated that the metro pillar is part of the train reversal facility for the Line-3 extension between Noida City Centre and Noida Electronic City stations. "The service road near Pier P386 towards Ghaziabad (close to Sector 62, Noida) will remain closed until June 2026. This closure is essential for casting foundations of temporary support structures and placing trestles required for launching a 58-metre steel girder," the official said. "A traffic diversion plan has been obtained from authorities, including NHAI and the traffic police. The Ghaziabad traffic police has also been informed."
Future Metro Expansion
A Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) official acknowledged the current inconvenience but emphasized the long-term benefits. "The construction of the metro pillar might create a problem for commuters now, but it should be seen as an extension of the 5 km Noida Electronic City to Sahibabad metro extension corridor project. The extension of 5.1 km from Noida Electronic City to Sahibabad will take place in the coming years. The spot where the new metro pillar is coming up is along that alignment. Whenever work on the project starts, we will get a head start because by that time the second metro pillar in Indirapuram will already be in place," he explained.
Due to funding issues, the project is still under consideration by the state and central governments. "We have already asked DMRC to come up with a fresh DPR of three metro projects in the city, which include Noida Electronic City Sector 62 to Sahibabad; Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda to Ghaziabad; and Vaishali on Blue Line route to Gokulpuri in Delhi," added the official. The Noida Electronic City Sector 62 to Sahibabad section, approximately 5.1 km long, is on the list and will have five stations, including Indirapuram, Shakti Khand, and Vasundhara Sector 5.
