Jewar airport connectivity has come under strain after the Hamidpur-Bulandshahr road, repaired at a cost of around ₹10 crore in June, developed potholes and began shedding dust within weeks, disrupting daily travel to the airport and affecting residents and businesses along the route.
The road links Jewar town and Hamidpur with the airport and continues towards the Yamuna Expressway. A section of the route had remained severely damaged at several points for years. Repairs and construction of drains on both sides were approved before the airport’s operations began, but the repaired surface reportedly started deteriorating within 10 days of completion and became unusable again within 15 days.
The road is part of the national highway network and is maintained through the Public Works Department’s National Highway Division in Ghaziabad. Complaints about the failed repair work had earlier led officials to stop payment to the construction agency. Officials had also assured that the road would be fully dismantled and rebuilt after the monsoon, but the reported deterioration had not been addressed when the latest account was published.
The damaged surface has left potholes across the route, while vehicle movement is generating dust. People living and operating businesses beside the road are among those facing the greatest disruption. The route is also important for residents of Haryana’s Palwal and Faridabad districts, who are expected to use it to access the Jewar airport.
The condition of the road has also raised concerns during the implementation of the first stage of the Graded Response Action Plan in Delhi-NCR. The Commission for Air Quality Management imposed the first stage of GRAP on October 21 and directed agencies to intensify measures including regular water sprinkling, mechanical road cleaning and dust-control measures during road construction, widening and repair work.
The report said that regular dust suppression and effective road maintenance were not visible on the Hamidpur-Bulandshahr route despite the continuing deterioration. Potholes, loose road material and dust are increasing difficulties for motorists while adding to exposure for roadside communities.
Arvind Singh Yadav, executive engineer with the PWD National Highway Division in Ghaziabad, said the construction agency had begun removing debris from the damaged road. He said work on drains along both sides of the road was progressing and that the entire route would be repaired and made fit for traffic within the next 15 days.
