Noida: After months of delay, the construction of the 530m skywalk at the Model Town crossing in Sector 62 has begun. The estimated Rs 40-crore project is expected to decongest one of the most important office hubs in the city by trying to reduce jaywalking.General manager of Noida Authority, SP Singh, said the work will likely be completed in eight to nine months.The foundation stone for the skywalk was laid in Feb but construction was delayed because DMRC was building a reversal platform from Electronic City metro station up to the Delhi-Meerut Expressway crossing. Since both projects are at the same location, work on the skywalk could only begin after the construction of the metro station had progressed significantly.The Sector 62 intersection, which connects Noida and Ghaziabad, sees several thousand pedestrians crossing the roads daily. A 2025 survey puts the approximate number of these pedestrians at 50,000. Most of these people have to dodge speeding vehicles to cross the roads, disrupting traffic flow and increasing the risk of accidents.The project aims to improve pedestrian movement and reduce jaywalking.The four-metre-wide skywalk will connect all four arms of the crossing — Sector 62, Sector 63 and both sides of NH-9 — and integrate with the existing footbridge, enabling pedestrians to cross both Vishwakarma Road and the Delhi-Meerut Expressway safely. An official said traffic restrictions will also be put in place at the spot once construction progresses.The elevated structure will comprise a 350m circular section following the alignment of the roundabout and a 180m straight stretch. It will be covered with an iron roof to provide protection from rain and extreme heat. The skywalk will have four entry and exit points equipped with stairs, lifts and escalators at the four arms.The skywalk is expected to improve access for commuters travelling between the Electronic City Metro station and bus services operating to Meerut, Hapur and Bulandshahr.Traffic congestion in the area is also aggravated by e-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws parked along the roads to pick up passengers for Noida and Ghaziabad. Encroachments by street vendors and hawkers, who cater to the pedestrians, have also rendered large stretches of the footpaths unusable, forcing people to walk on the carriageway. The skywalk will likely reduce these violations by making a separate way for pedestrians.
