In a major administrative overhaul, the Noida Authority has dissolved its separate public health department and traffic cell, transferring their responsibilities to zonal work circles in an attempt to close accountability gaps and streamline civic governance.
The decision follows the tragic death of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who drowned after his car fell into a flooded trench in Sector 150. The incident triggered widespread public anger and exposed serious lapses in excavation safety, barricading, and monitoring mechanisms.
Residents had alleged that the ditch was left open without adequate warning signs, lighting, or protective barricades — raising uncomfortable questions about supervision failures and inter-departmental coordination.
What Changes Under the New Structure?
Under the revised system, there will no longer be standalone public health or traffic departments. Instead, their functions — including sanitation, sewer maintenance, drain cleaning, excavation monitoring, road restoration, traffic signage, and junction planning — will now be managed directly by zonal work circles.
Work circles 1 to 5 will operate under General Manager SP Singh, while circles 6 to 10 will be overseen by General Manager AK Arora. Both officials will now hold consolidated authority within their respective jurisdictions, ensuring direct responsibility at the GM level.
Senior managers and project staff will report within a single work-circle hierarchy, eliminating the earlier multi-layered file movement between departments.
Why Was the Move Necessary?
Established in 2012, the Noida Traffic Cell functioned independently of the civil department, handling traffic planning, signal coordination, and liaison with traffic police. Meanwhile, the public health wing managed sanitation, sewer systems, and waterlogging mitigation.
Officials admitted that over time, the bifurcated structure led to overlapping responsibilities. In cases involving dug-up roads, incomplete trench restoration, or drainage-related traffic disruptions, files often shifted between departments — causing delays and blurring accountability.
The new framework aims to end this “departmental blame game” by placing complete civic responsibility within defined zones.
Stricter Monitoring & Safety Measures Promised
Authority officials have assured that stricter excavation protocols, mandatory barricading, enhanced inspection schedules, and periodic safety audits will now be enforced.
The objective, officials said, is to strengthen field-level supervision, ensure quicker responses to civic hazards, and prevent a repeat of incidents like the Sector 150 tragedy.
The restructuring marks one of the most significant governance changes in Noida’s civic administration in recent years — signaling a shift toward centralised accountability and ground-level efficiency.
