Noida: The road to Sadullapur has been pockmarked with four- to five-foot-wide potholes for months, and recent showers have made the situation worse for commuters who now have to navigate around waterlogged craters instead. Similar sites greet residents heading into Saini, Sunpura, Vaidpura and Maincha, among the 14 villages in Greater Noida West that the GNIDA designated “smart villages” five years ago, promising them the infrastructure of the urban sectors growing up around them.Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) launched the Rs 150 crore project in 2021, which promised paved roads, streetlights, primary schools, Wi-Fi connectivity, piped water, parks, a drainage network, a community centre and a sports ground across villages, including Maincha, Chhapraula, Sadullapur, Tilapta Karanwas, Gharbarah, Chirasi, Ladpura, Aminabad (Nyana), Sirsa, Ghanghola, Astauli, Jalpura, Chipyana Khurd-Tigri and Yusufpur Chakshaberi. That October, the Authority issued contracts to redevelop Sadullapur, Tilpata and Aminabad.Five years on, residents say the ground reality has barely changed.Narendra Tyagi, who regularly travels the Sadullapur stretch, said the road turns hazardous within minutes of rainfall. “During dry winter months, the roads kick up dust with every passing vehicle. On Thursday, with just an hour of morning rain, water had already started collecting in the potholes,” he said, adding that conditions were no different a year ago.Raj Singh, a Sadullapur resident, blamed recurring delays by the Authority for leaving roads, drains and sanitation unaddressed for years. “We are often told tenders have been issued, but little tangible progress has been made,” he said.Another resident from the area, Santosh Nagar, told TOI that the approach road to the villages was unsafe for commuters, especially after sundown. “Yet no work has been undertaken despite multiple complaints,” he said.Residents argue that development tied to the airport, the medical city park and manufacturing hubs nearby has flowed almost entirely to residential and industrial sectors, bypassing village pockets. “These areas are far from being smart villages,” said Harinder Bhati of Maincha. “Forget Wi-Fi and training centres — even basic roads, sewer connections to the Authority’s treatment plants, and street lights don’t exist. Potholed roads and heaps of garbage are inviting disease and making life unbearable.”Pradeep Dahalia, a local environmentalist, said the Authority needed to move beyond announcements. “Villages cannot rely solely on promises,” he said, calling for a public list of ongoing projects, their current status and firm timelines. “We need effective initiatives at the ground level, not just announcements.”A response from the Authority is awaited on the matter.
Heaps of garbage are left unattended on the road to Sunpura
