GREATER NOIDA, June 2 -- The Greater Noida authority has roped in the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) to carry out a detailed study of the city, in a bid to find solutions to traffic congestion issues. The SPA is likely to begin studying all major congestion-prone areas, especially Pari Chowk, Noida Extension and other areas, which have become hot spots of traffic snarls causing distress to thousands of commuters. The move followed public complaints about regular traffic issues particularly during peak morning and evening hours. "A detailed study can determine the methods to address the perennial issue of the city's traffic congestion. We need to plan infrastructure for next 100 years instead of only focusing on the issues which may arise in the next 10-20 years," said Greater Noida CEO Ravi Kumar NG. He has directed the SPA and the engineering department, including town planning department staff, to work together to prepare a detailed plan of action that can address the ongoing traffic congestion problems, and also the potential problems in future. "It is high time we planned the big infrastructure projects including rapid rail, Metro, underpasses, flyovers, new roads, elevated corridors and bridges keeping in view the population growth of this city, and its repercussions on existing infrastructure including road and civic facilities," the CEO said. The SPA study will assist us in working on the long-term solutions to traffic problems because the city is growing manifold, and after Noida airport will become operational Greater Noida needs to be ready to bear the burden of the population rise, he added. The study will focus on traffic volume in all city roads, projections of increase in the traffic volume once the airport will become operational, and the traffic conditions expected to change in next few decades. The SPA will suggest if the authority requires to build more roads, elevated routes and a new traffic management plan for all the areas witnessing congestion, said officials. For instance, Noida Extension, also known as Greater Noida West, is home to about 450,000 apartments spread on around 4,000 hectares dotted with hundreds of group housing projects. These newly built and partially ready housing societies are 50-60% occupied. New citizens are shifting rapidly into these societies, prompting the authority to explore ways to grapple with civic woes, particularly traffic issues, said officials....