In a significant breakthrough for the long-pending Faridabad-Noida-Ghaziabad (FNG) expressway project, the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments have agreed to equally split the cost of constructing a crucial 600-metre bridge over the Yamuna River near Mangroli village in Noida. This bridge will serve as a key link between Faridabad and Noida, paving the way for faster travel and improved connectivity across the three cities.
First proposed in 1989, the FNG expressway has remained largely incomplete due to decades of bureaucratic delays, funding disputes, and lack of coordination between the two states. Officials now say the agreement to jointly fund the bridge marks a turning point in the project’s stalled development.
“The project will immensely benefit not only Ghaziabad and Noida but also Faridabad, as it will cut travel time by up to 40 minutes,” said Vijay Rawal, chief general manager of the Noida Authority. Rawal confirmed that the Noida Authority received an official letter from the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority agreeing to share the project cost.
According to officials, estimates for the bridge will be finalized by the end of this year, after which construction work will begin. While the Noida Authority will bear 50% of the cost, the bridge construction will be undertaken by the Haryana agency.
The renewed momentum follows directions from former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra in January 2023, who urged officials to expedite the FNG project to ease traffic pressure on existing roads.
Of the 22-km stretch of the expressway within Noida—from NH-24 (Delhi–Meerut Expressway)—about 70% is already complete and partially in use. However, unresolved land disputes and funding disagreements have left several critical stretches, including a 5-km elevated road over the Hindon embankment, pending.
Currently, only a 3-km operational stretch connects Chhijarsi on NH-24 with Noida Extension. Another 9-km section from Chhijarsi to Sector 117 remains incomplete due to land issues at Sector 117. These disruptions have created traffic bottlenecks within Noida and sparked frustration among local residents.
Residents from Sectors 119, 120, 115, and 167, where the expressway passes through, have repeatedly raised concerns about daily traffic snarls, inadequate road infrastructure, and safety risks due to single-lane diversions.
“As the FNG is incomplete, we face traffic congestion daily. We fail to understand why the Noida Authority cannot even complete small stretches,” said Amita Singh, a resident of Sector 119. Another commuter, Satish Kumar from Sector 116, added, “The authority must at least finish small stretches so we can use the road smoothly.”
Umesh Singh, a Sector 167 resident, recalled that most of the FNG expressway in Noida was built in 2013 but has remained untouched since. “The expressway helps us bypass city traffic, but due to gaps, we can’t use it effectively. The authority must complete the remaining stretches.”
With both states now aligned on funding, and a clear roadmap for completing the bridge, officials and commuters are hopeful the FNG expressway will finally fulfill its promise of easing travel and decongesting roads in the National Capital Region.
Sources By Agencies
