Potholes, dug-up roads: Rains long gone, Noida’s shopping hub awaits repair

Noida: Walking on Indian roads comes with its distinct challenges. Be it hawkers, broken patches or garbage thrown in the middle of the path, commuters and pedestrians always need to be on alert. The road surface outside the city's Sector 18 metro station is no different. It is broken and uneven, with loose gravel, stones and dug-up patches. Exposed iron bars are also posing a serious risk to commuters and pedestrians.Sector 18 is one of the city's busiest commercial hubs, known for its mix of offices, retail spaces, eateries and heavy footfall throughout the day. The sector houses several shopping complexes, showrooms, banks, restaurants and street vendors, making it a preferred destination for people across the city.
A spot visit on Thursday showed that a traffic police barricade had been placed at the location as a safety measure, but it further narrowed the already congested carriageway. A Sector 128 resident, SK Maheshwari, frequents the Sector 18 market for shopping. "The stretch has become unwalkable. This is at a key location just outside the metro station and the exposed iron bars can cause an accident at any point. Road maintenance is a serious issue and this needs to be fixed at the earliest," he said.This is a key road that connects the DSC road to the Sector 18 commercial market. A large number of metro users also exit the station and use this route daily. The stretch has remained without repairs for nearly six months.Repair work was initially delayed due to monsoon rainfall. However, even after the monsoon ended, the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) enforced GRAP restrictions and the stretch continued to remain unattended. Over time, the damaged portion widened and deteriorated further.An e-rickshaw driver, Suresh Kumar, who plies between Sector 18 metro station and DLF Mall said, "We exercise extreme caution while passing through this stretch. The exposed iron bars and loose gravel increase the risk of slips, tyre damage, and serious injuries. It should be fixed at the earliest," he said.President of Sector 18 market association, SK Jain said the stretch has been left unattended for some time. "Sometimes we inform the Authority and they give assurance, but the issue is not fixed. We will soon hold a meeting with traders to discuss maintenance and civic issues related to the market and the sector, and inform the Authority," he said.Deputy general manager (civil) of the Authority Vijay Rawal, said the Authority took note of the issue and launched repair work on Thursday afternoon. "The repair work will be completed soon," he said.In the past few months, the Authority has repaired several rough stretches, including outside Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Kalindi Kunj, Sector 37 and near GIP Mall. However, the road in Film City outside the T-Series office still remains in poor condition.