Noida, 10 Sept (HS): As India prepares to hold its first MotoGP event in a week at the Buddha International Circuit in Greater Noida, authorities are concerned about the ”sluggish pace” of local infrastructure development. According to sources, hundreds of signs and over a dozen cameras have still to be put along the highways that connect Noida and Greater Noida to the site along the Yamuna Expressway. Some of the existing signage has lost visible owing to trees or requires alteration. Aside from this, two critical underpasses on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway – at the Advant Navis building and at Sector 96 – are inoperable, and other road patches require resurfacing.
”Concerns have been made with the three local authorities for the works in their areas: the Noida Authority, the Greater Noida Authority, and the Yamuna Expressway Authority. The Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration has also been informed of the concerns,” said a senior officer familiar with the MotoGP event’s plans.
”The police have identified around 140 spots along the expressways where new signs will be erected. Several existing signages are deplorable, with some hidden under trees or placed in inconvenient areas. This puts travelers at danger and makes traffic diversions difficult. ‘The signs need to be modified or re-installed in better places to make them more convenient for commuters,” the officer added on the condition of anonymity.
Concerns were raised with stakeholders in August, and repeated meetings to evaluate the preparations have taken place since then, but the pace of action by the local authorities has been ”extremely slow and sluggish”. The officer indicated that the problems were raised during the Friday meeting as well.
Another officer expressed worry over the lack of cameras at 27 spots along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, given the mobility of VIPs and foreigners, among other guests, for the MotoGP event on September 23-24. The 23.5-kilometer highway patch already has 100 cameras of the Noida authority’s Integrated Security and Traffic Management System, but the police have identified 27 more sites where cameras are needed, according to the officer.
The Grand Prix of India is projected to draw a throng of around 1.5 lakh people, including VIPs and foreigners, according to authorities. The practice session will take place on September 22, and the major races will take place over the next two days. The motorcycle racing event is set for September 21-25, the same dates as the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show in Greater Noida.
Hindusthan Samachar/Abhishek Awasthi
