Noida: Connectivity to Noida International Airport is expected to improve as the long-awaited interchange linking the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) with the Yamuna Expressway is likely to open before Diwali. Nearly 80% of the work is complete, while the remaining work is expected to be finished within a month. While the main structure of the interchange is ready, the remaining work includes bitumen resurfacing, retaining walls, road markings, streetlights, etc.A YEIDA official said that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is scheduled to complete the project by Oct 15. “Following this, there will be testing and trial of vehicles. Once this is approved, the interchange will be opened to the public before Diwali,” the official added.The interchange is set to come up near Jaganpur Afzalpur village around 10km from the Yamuna Expressway’s zero point near Pari Chowk. It will provide seamless connectivity to the airport for commuters travelling from Palwal, Kundli, Ghaziabad and Meerut, on top of improving connectivity to the Noida International Airport.Currently, there is no connection between the EPE and the Yamuna Expressway. Commuters are forced to take a 15-20 km detour through congested stretches of Greater Noida’s Sirsa village and the Bil Akbarpur exit of the EPE, resulting in longer travel times and frequent traffic bottlenecks.Residents said the interchange is very important for people travelling from the EPE.“The internal roads are already congested and face heavy traffic jams. This adds about 30 minutes to commuters’ travel time at present. In this condition, an interchange between the EPE and the Yamuna Expressway will immensely help commuters,” Sunil Pradhan, a resident of Greater Noida, said.Spread over 83 hectares, the project features four entry and four exit ramps with a total length of 13 km. It was originally conceived in 2019, when YEIDA proposed constructing the interchange at an estimated cost of Rs 75.5 crore, with a target completion period of one and a half years.However, construction could not begin on schedule due to farmers’ protests over land compensation. The project remained stalled for several years before the Uttar Pradesh cabinet approved the transfer of the project to NHAI in April last year. The revised project cost reached Rs 270 crore. YEIDA also cleared 64% additional compensation for affected farmers, allowing construction to gather momentum.
Nearly 80% of the work on the interchange is complete
