Construction of the Manjhawali Bridge road connecting Greater Noida and Faridabad has not started in Gautam Buddh Nagar even 50 days after the foundation ceremony. Land acquisition delays and pending compensation remain major hurdles.
Greater Noida-Faridabad link road foundation laid but work yet to begin
The Manjhawali Bridge road project, meant to directly connect Greater Noida and Faridabad, has still not begun construction work in the Gautam Buddh Nagar area, even 50 days after its foundation ceremony on December 26, according to a report by Dainik Jagran. The project includes building a 1.7-kilometre new road and widening existing stretches. However, on the ground, no visible construction activity has started so far.
Residents have begun questioning how the project will be completed within the one-year deadline set for the Gautam Buddh Nagar portion. Many locals say the speed shown during the foundation ceremony has not been reflected in actual construction work.
27
Long history of delays
The Manjhawali Bridge connectivity project has faced delays for decades. The project was first announced in 1989, when its foundation stone was laid by former Union minister Rajesh Pilot. After that, the work remained stalled for many years.
Construction restarted in 2014 after a change in the central government. Haryana completed nearly 20 kilometres of its portion long ago. However, work on the Uttar Pradesh side could not begin due to disputes over land compensation with farmers.
Only after an agreement on compensation rates equal to those offered by the Greater Noida Authority did farmers agree to provide land. Even now, land acquisition remains incomplete.
37
Land acquisition still a major hurdle
The project requires acquisition of 4.99 hectares of land, costing around ₹28 crore. The land belongs to about 130 farmers from Jaganpur, Murshadpur and Jaganpur Doab villages. Nearly 85% of the required land belongs to farmers from Jaganpur, and about Rs 25 crore has already been distributed to them.
However, compensation for farmers in the remaining villages is still pending. Due to shortage of funds, only about 70% of land acquisition has been completed so far. Until the remaining land is secured, full construction cannot proceed.
Project design and cost details
The Manjhawali Bridge will be connected through a five-kilometre road in Gautam Buddh Nagar. Out of this:
1.7 km new road will be constructed
The new road will be 45 metres wide and four lanes
Around 1 km of existing road will be widened to 10 metres
Nearly 2 km of road will be repaired
The total project cost is estimated at Rs 66 crore.
At present, the route between the two regions is extremely uneven and risky. Residents from nearly 200 villages and towns in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Haryana depend on this route. Many families across the two regions are related to each other, making daily travel common.
Due to poor road conditions, people are forced to drive carefully through damaged stretches. Residents say travel is difficult and unsafe, especially during emergencies.
57
Expected travel benefits after completion
Currently, travelling from Greater Noida to Faridabad takes more than one hour. During peak hours, the journey can take up to two hours because commuters must travel through Noida, Delhi, Kalindi Kunj or the Eastern Peripheral Expressway.
Once the Manjhawali Bridge route is operational, travel time is expected to reduce to around 30 minutes. The direct road will reduce traffic congestion and lower fuel consumption.
The project is also expected to improve connectivity to the upcoming Noida International Airport, benefiting lakhs of people across the National Capital Region. Commuters travelling between Greater Noida, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram are likely to gain from the shorter route.
67
Why questions are being raised
With 50 days already passed since the latest foundation ceremony, residents and commuters are questioning why construction has not begun. Many believe that if work was not ready to start, the foundation ceremony should not have been conducted in haste.
Officials maintain that the project will move forward once pending land acquisition and funding issues are resolved. However, people dependent on the route remain concerned about further delays.
77
Regional importance of the bridge
The Manjhawali Bridge project is considered a key infrastructure link between Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. It is expected to ease traffic pressure on Delhi roads and strengthen economic and social ties between rural and urban areas.
For residents of nearly 200 villages, the bridge is not just a transport project but a vital link for work, education, healthcare and family connections. Once completed, it is expected to significantly improve daily life for thousands of commuters.
