Noida: Traffic police have imposed restrictions on the Noida to Delhi side of the Mahamaya Flyover as the Noida Authority resumes work to replace the structure’s ageing expansion joints. While traffic is still allowed on the route, the current curbs are primarily affecting the loop that connects Sector 94 near Okhla Bird Sanctuary metro station to Kalindi Kunj.The 400m-long and 25m-wide flyover, built in 2006 to ease vehicular flow between Noida and Delhi, is undergoing its first-ever replacement of expansion joints. Until now, it has seen only minor repair works and resurfacing from time to time.Repairs first started in May, but work was suspended temporarily due to VIP movements in the city. Traffic restrictions were enforced briefly on the Noida Expressway and DND Flyway on June 23 and 24 for the visits of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and UP governor Anandiben Patel to Amity University.During this period, Delhi-bound traffic was diverted to Kalindi Kunj through the Mahamaya Flyover. The project has now resumed and is expected to take two months to complete.The flyover is a critical link for thousands of daily commuters from Sectors 37, 44, 45, and Film City in Noida, offering direct access to south Delhi areas including Kalindi Kunj, Sarita Vihar, Shaheen Bagh, and Jamia Nagar.“We have carried out minor repairs in the past, but this is the first time we are replacing all 36 expansion joints on the flyover. The work on the main carriageway will be conducted from 10pm to 5am when the traffic pressure is less. Meanwhile, during the day, we will continue the work on the loops,” said Satinder Giri, senior manager (Civil), Noida Authority.When asked whether monsoon rainfall could hamper the project works, officials clarified that the ongoing repair work will not be affected by the rains. “Unlike resurfacing or major civil construction that involves the use of bitumen or hot-mix asphalt, the replacement of expansion joints is largely mechanical and structural in nature,” said an official.Expansion joints, which are flexible gaps between segments of the flyover, are designed to absorb movement caused by temperature changes, vibrations, and traffic loads, thus protecting the structure from long-term damage.Ankit Kumar, a resident of Sector 45, said “I just hope the authority expedites the work and completes it soon to ease commuting.”
