Noida: Residents of 15 housing societies in Sector 150 staged a protest on Saturday against the continuous movement of trucks carrying uncovered loose soil and construction and demolition (C&D) waste for various residential projects in the neighbourhood, even as large stretches of sector roads remained scarred by potholes, unfinished patches and broken shoulders.They said Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) activated Stage 1 of the Graded Action Plan on Oct 21, which required such materials to be transported in fully covered vehicles, but the norms were flouted blatantly by developers, including ACE, County, Prestige and Godrej.Residents demanded that a height barrier near ATS Pristine be removed to allow trucks to be diverted through Pushta Road instead of internal sector roads.
Trucks carrying uncovered loose soil and construction and demolition waste for various residential projects in the neighbourhood kick up dust
Sector 150 was planned as a premium low-density and high-greenery township, where a flat in a luxury condominium cost nearly Rs 2-3 crore. Its strategic location near Noida and Yamuna expressways also offers easy access to the planned Noida International Airport. Multiple projects tied to the Sports City are to come up in the area but the road infrastructure is yet to be developed.Currently, the sector is home to around 20,000 people, who said deteriorating air quality posed a risk to children, senior citizens and other vulnerable groups. On Saturday, CPCB’s air quality monitoring station at Knowledge Park 3, which is nearest to Sector 150, recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 155 (moderate) at 4 pm on Saturday. Noida’s Sector 125 station, which covers its immediate surrounding localities along Noida Expressway, recorded an AQI of 217 (poor).Kunal Bhati, an IT professional and resident of Tata Eureka Park in the sector, said repeated complaints to Noida Authority and the traffic department had failed to resolve the issue. “It is an everyday menace. There are multiple construction sites in the area, and the trucks without any coverings move throughout the day. You step outside on a two-wheeler and you are covered in dust. It seems as if there are no restrictions for them, and now that winter is approaching, our problems will only become bigger,” Bhati said.Residents said that another 15-20 projects are expected to come up in Sector 150, which could increase truck movement and add to the pollution burden. They urged authorities to introduce preventive measures before the projects become operational.Another resident, Aman Nijhawan, said residents were compelled to take to the streets to draw the authorities’ attention. “The principal demand of the protesters is the removal of the height barrier installed by the Noida Authority near ATS Pristine so that heavy vehicles can be diverted through Pushta Road,” he said, adding that trucks carrying soil and construction material through internal sector roads not just spread dust but also trigger safety concerns.The protesters also criticised what they called inadequate and irregular road cleaning by Noida Authority. They alleged insufficient dust suppression measures were worsening the situation.They demanded regular mechanical sweeping, effective dust suppression and strict enforcement of rules requiring construction materials to be transported in covered vehicles. Residents also sought action against unauthorised hawkers and other encroachments affecting cleanliness and traffic management.The residents urged Noida Authority, traffic police and other departments to conduct an immediate inspection and implement a time-bound action plan.
