Noida, Nov 5 (PTI) The newly constructed underpass at Char Murti Chowk in Noida Extension (also called Greater Noida West) was opened for a trial run on Thursday, with around 14,000 vehicles passing through it in the first five hours, the local authority said.
The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) said the trial, which began at 6 am, will continue until 10 pm on November 8.
"The underpass will be formally opened for regular traffic soon if the trial is successful," the authority said.
Char Murti Chowk had in recent years become known for notorious traffic congestion, particularly during peak rush hours when thousands of office-goers from nearby high-rises would commute along the route.
GNIDA Additional Chief Executive Officer Sumit Yadav inspected the underpass and surrounding areas and directed officials to ensure smooth traffic movement and address any problems encountered during the trial.
The 720-metre-long underpass, built parallel to the 60-metre road, is expected to ease congestion at the busy intersection, which witnesses around 50,000 vehicles daily, according to the authority.
It will also reduce the distance travelled by vehicles coming from the 130-metre and 60-metre roads towards Ghaziabad by around 1.5 to 2 km, eliminating the need to cross the Hindon and take a U-turn.
The authority estimated that reduced travel distance and fuel consumption could result in annual savings of around Rs 35 crore.
The project was completed on October 30, ahead of its scheduled December 2026 deadline, at a cost of approximately Rs 99 crore. Construction began on February 15, 2025, GNIDA said.
GNIDA Chief Executive Officer N G Ravi Kumar thanked Greater Noida West residents for their cooperation during construction and appreciated the authority's project team.
