Author: Sharad Natani

A major administrative reshuffle in Noida has triggered confusion among sanitation workers, leading to a brief strike and visible disruptions in waste collection across several sectors. The changes come after the Noida Authority merged its health department with zonal work circles in an attempt to improve accountability and streamline civic services. New System, Multiple Bosses Under the new structure, sanitation, drainage, sewer maintenance, and traffic responsibilities are now handled directly by work circle officials instead of a dedicated health department chain of command. Workers say the transition has created operational confusion. Earlier, sanitation staff reported to specific health department officials.…

As Holi approaches, food safety authorities in Greater Noida have stepped up inspections to prevent the sale of adulterated or substandard food items during the festive season. Acting on routine surveillance measures, officials conducted raids at manufacturing units in the UPSIDC industrial area in Kasna and collected multiple food samples for laboratory testing. Wide Range of Food Items Tested According to officials, a total of 10 samples were taken, covering commonly consumed festive and daily food products. These include: Paneer Khoya (mawa) Sweets Pizza sauce Mustard oil Coconut oil Other edible oils The samples have been sent to an accredited…

Gurgaon’s air quality has slipped back into the “poor” category, raising fresh health concerns for residents. The city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 289, largely driven by local emission sources such as road dust, construction activity and open waste burning. The pollution spike comes even outside the winter season, highlighting how quickly air quality can deteriorate when local controls weaken. Dust and Construction Add to Toxic Mix Damaged roads, exposed soil and ongoing infrastructure projects have significantly increased dust levels across the city. During peak traffic hours, heavy vehicular movement lifts fine particles into the air, worsening particulate…

In a major boost to regional connectivity, the Haryana government has approved the alignment of a 64-km Gurgaon–Faridabad–Noida Namo Bharat corridor, a high-speed transit project designed to transform daily travel across the National Capital Region (NCR). The corridor will feature six metro stations and two integrated RRTS-cum-metro hubs, enabling both rapid intercity travel and convenient intra-city commuting on a single route. Dual-Service Corridor: High Speed + Local Travel The project, proposed by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), will run both: ◆Namo Bharat (RRTS) high-speed trains for intercity travel ◆Metro services for shorter city trips This hybrid model mirrors…

In a major step toward tackling river pollution, the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has proposed setting up a sewage treatment plant (STP) on the Hawaliya drain — one of the largest sources of contamination flowing into the Hindon River. The move comes after repeated warnings from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, which flagged the drain for carrying untreated domestic sewage and industrial effluents into the river system. A Major Pollution Pipeline Stretching nearly 13 kilometres from the Surajpur industrial area, the Hawaliya drain receives wastewater from dozens of sources before emptying…

What was once known for wide, orderly roads and lush green roundabouts is now drawing criticism for a different reason — giant, brightly lit advertisement boards that residents say are putting lives at risk. Across major intersections such as Pari Chowk, Beta-1 roundabout and Gamma-1 sectors, oversized billboards have mushroomed on central verges, green belts and traffic circles. Commuters claim the intense LED lighting and sheer size of these hoardings distract drivers, obscure traffic signs and create dangerous blind spots, especially at night. Visibility Issues Raising Accident Fears Motorists say navigating busy junctions has become increasingly difficult after sunset. The…