Noida

Noida, short for New Okhla Industrial Development Authority, is a city located in Gautam Buddha Nagar district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Noida is a satellite city of Delhi and is a part of the National Capital Region. According to the 2021 Delhi Master Plan, Noida is a part of CNCR (Central National Capital Region) or DMA (Delhi Metropolitan Area). As per provisional reports of Census of India, the population of Noida in 2011 was 642,381. The city is managed by New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA). The district's administrative headquarters are in the nearby city of Greater Noida.

The city is a part of the Noida (Vidhan Sabha) constituency and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Lok Sabha) constituency. Mahesh Sharma is the present Lok Sabha MP of Gautam Buddha Nagar, while Pankaj Singh is the present MLA of Noida.

Noida was ranked as the Best City in Uttar Pradesh and the Best City in Housing in all of India in the "Best City Awards" conducted by ABP News in 2015. It is also ranked the cleanest city in medium category cities (cities with a population of 300,000 to 1,000,000) and 4th cleanest city among cities with less than 1,000,000 people.

History
The city lies in the cultural region of Braj. Noida came into administrative existence on 17 April 1976 and celebrates 17 April as "Noida Day". It was set up as part of an urbanisation thrust during the controversial Emergency period (1975–1977). The city was created under the UP Industrial Area Development Act, 1976 by the initiatives of Sanjay Gandhi. The city has the highest per capita income in the Uttar Pradesh ahead of Lucknow. Noida is classified as a special economic zone (SEZ). The Noida Authority is among the richest civic bodies in the country.

Geography
Noida is located in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Noida is about 19 km southeast of New Delhi, 25 km northwest of the district headquarters, Greater Noida, and 520 km northwest of the state capital, Lucknow. It is bound on the west and southwest by the Yamuna River, on the north and northwest by the city of Delhi, on the northeast by the cities of Delhi and Ghaziabad on the north-east, east, and south-east by the Hindon River. Noida falls under the catchment area of the Yamuna River, and is located on the old river bed. The soil is rich and loamy.

Residential Sectors and Villages
Noida is home to a large number of residential sectors and villages. As of 2021, the city has a total of 168 residential sectors that offer a range of housing options to its residents. These sectors are well-planned and well-connected to major roads and highways, making them a popular choice for people looking for a comfortable and convenient living experience. In addition to the residential sectors, Noida also has over 80 villages that are scattered across the city. These villages offer a glimpse into the traditional way of life in the region and are home to a diverse population of people from different communities and backgrounds. Despite being located in close proximity to the city, many of these villages continue to maintain their unique cultural identity and way of life.

Climate
Noida features a hot semi arid climate (BSh) under the Köppen climate classification.

In summer (March to June), the weather remains hot and the temperature ranges from a maximum of 48 °C to a minimum of 30 °C.

Monsoon season prevails from mid-June to mid-September.

The cold waves from the Himalayan region make the winters in Noida chilly and harsh. Temperatures fall to as low as 3 °C to 4 °C at the peak of winters. Noida also has fog and smoke problems In January, a dense fog envelops the city, reducing visibility on the streets.

Demographics
As per provisional data of 2011 census, Noida had a population of 637,272 out of which the male population was 349,397 and the female population was 287,875. The literacy rate was 88.58 per cent. Male literacy was 92.90% and female literacy was 83.28%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 6.67% and 0.29% of the population respectively.

There are people of almost all major religions, but the majority practice Hinduism. Many famous Hindu temples are located in the city, some of the more famous ones are the Hanuman temple in Sector 22, the Kalibari Temple in Sector 26, the ISKCON temple in Sector 33, Shree Jagannath Temple in Sector 34, Sai Baba Temple in Sector 61, Shiv Mandir in Sector 31, Shri Ram Mandir in Sector 36 and the Kuti Temple at Sec 163 Mohiyapur. Locals believe that the birth of Ravana also took place on the outskirts of Noida in a village called Bishrakh (near Noida-Greater Noida border). A Shia Jama Masjid in Sector 50 and St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church in Sector 51, Mar Thoma Church in Sector 50, and St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sector 34 are also well known.

Hindi is the most spoken language. Other languages such as Urdu and Punjabi, are spoken by a minority. There is a smattering of speakers of other languages due to Ghaziabad's position in the Delhi metro area.

Authority
The city's infrastructure is looked after by the NOIDA Authority, a statutory authority set-up under Uttar Pradesh Industrial Area Development Act, 1976. Authority's head is its chairman Sanjiv Kumar Mittal, who is an IAS officer, the authority's daily matters, however, are looked after by its CEO, who is also an IAS officer. NOIDA Authority comes under the Infrastructure and Industrial Development Department of Uttar Pradesh Government. The Chairman of NOIDA Authority is Manoj Kumar Singh and CEO is Ravi Kumar NG.

General administration
The Gautam Budh Nagar district is a part of Meerut division, headed by the Divisional Commissioner, who is an IAS officer of high seniority, the Commissioner is the head of local government institutions (including Municipal Corporations) in the division, is in-charge of infrastructure development in his division, and is also responsible for maintaining law and order in the division. The District Magistrate, hence, reports to the Divisional Commissioner of Meerut. The current Divisional Commissioner of Meerut is Smt.Selva Kumari J. (IAS).

Gautam Budh Nagar district administration is headed by the District Magistrate (DM) of Gautam Budh Nagar, who is an IAS officer. The DM is in charge of property records and revenue collection for the central government and oversee the national elections held in the city.

The District Magistrate is assisted by one Chief Development Officer, three Additional District Magistrates/ ADM (Executive, Finance & Revenue and Law & Order), and one City Magistrate. The district has divided into three Subdivisions named Noida Sadar, Dadri, and Jewar each headed by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) who reports to the District Magistrate. The current DM of Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) since 30 March 2020 is Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj (IAS).

Law enforcement
In January 2020, The Government of Uttar Pradesh, led by Yogi Adityanath announced that Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) and Lucknow will have a Commissionerate Police system, headed by a Commissioner of Police who shall directly report to the DGP of Uttar Pradesh Police. The Commissioner of Police (Additional DGP rank) is assisted by two Additional Commissioner of Police (Deputy IGP rank). Below them, there are seven Deputy Commissioner of Police/ DCP (SP rank).

Noida is divided into three police zones i.e. Noida, Central Noida and Greater Noida, each of them under a zonal DCP (SP rank). Apart from these three Zonal DCPs, Noida Police has four other DCP looking after Headquarters, Traffic, Crime, and Women Safety. Below them, there are 16 Assistant Commissioner of Police/ ACP (Deputy SP rank). The current Commissioner of Noida Police is Alok Singh, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

There is a near by upcoming greenfield YEIDA City.

Courts
The Court for Noida is situated at District Court Complex, Surajpur Greater Noida, Gautam Budh Nagar formed in 2012 with 18 courts in function. The court complex at Surajpur Greater Noida is built on more than 30 acres of land. The infrastructure of the Court is neat and clean with good size courtrooms.

Politics
Noida (Assembly constituency) represents the area. The incumbent MLA in the Noida (assembly constituency) is Pankaj Singh of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). The city falls under the Gautam Buddh Nagar parliamentary constituency, and the incumbent MP is Mahesh Sharma.

Infrastructure
Noida ranks one of the cleanest medium population cities when it comes to cleanliness among cities in India. The creation of associated physical infrastructure is higher in Noida and Greater Noida. Most of the land in Noida is not very fertile and the agricultural output is low. It is in the flood plains of the Yamuna River on one side and the Hindon River on the other. Many villages are visible from the Noida Expressway, beginning from the Mahamaya flyover to Greater Noida on both sides. One end of the Taj expressway terminates on Noida Expressway near the Hindon River and the other at Agra. Up until the 1980s, these villages were flooded every two–three years, resulting in people temporarily moving to other places in Noida, and even as far as Mehrauli in South Delhi. Noida is also famous for its tall buildings and comes 2nd in India after Mumbai in this parameter.

The new Parthala Flyover in Noida, which is often compared to the iconic Signature Bridge, is a major infrastructure improvement for the region. The flyover spans across the busy Parthala Chowk intersection, providing a faster and more efficient route for commuters. With its sleek and modern design, the Parthala Flyover has quickly become a landmark in the area and has drawn comparisons to the Signature Bridge in Delhi. While it may not have the same scale or grandeur as the Signature Bridge, the Parthala Flyover is a significant development that has greatly improved the flow of traffic in Noida and reduced travel time for commuters.

There is always a huge amount of revenue surplus each year as they are unable to spend the entire amount on development or on maintaining civic amenities. Lease rent and interest from builders are the biggest contributors to Noida's revenue. Besides, the authority gets huge revenues out of water and property transfer charges. "The Noida authority had deposited ₹3,500 crore as fixed deposits in various banks because of surplus funds. Noida has so much surplus funds with it that it can run the city even if it does not take any taxes from its allottees for 5 years in a row."

A 300 m tall skyscraper named "Supernova Spira" stands on the Noida side of Delhi Noida Border. It will be the tallest residential tower in northern India after its completion in 2021. The Noida Authority's plans to establish 'New Noida' have opened new opportunities in the Dadri-Noida-Ghaziabad Investment Region (DNGIR). The region will be settled in four phases, according to the Master Plan 2041 submitted recently to the Authority. New Noida will include a land bank consisting of 87 villages of Bulandshahr and Dadri.

In 2014, Allahabad High Court orders demolition of twin towers, pulls up Noida Authority for collusion with developer. Construction work stopped at the site in 2014 but the twin towers in Noida, built illegally by realty firm Supertech Ltd., were brought down within 12 seconds around 2.30 p.m. on 28 August 2022 with more than 3,700 kg of explosives.

Economy
In the last few years, Noida has also become a hub for software and mobile app development companies like Microsoft, Arm Holdings, HCL, Samsung and Barclays. These companies are contributing to the city's economy with their software product development and service export in foreign currencies. Samsung recently invested inr 50000000000 in Noida, under the Make in India initiative.

Paytm, India's largest unicorn fintech company is also headquartered in Noida.

Okhla Bird Sanctuary
Okhla Bird Sanctuary (OBS) is at the entrance of the city at the point where the Yamuna River enters the state of Uttar Pradesh from the state of Delhi. The Okhla Barrage over the Yamuna has created the unique position of the OBS which attracts various species of birds. OBS is among the 466 important bird areas in India. About 324 various bird species are seen in the sanctuary, about 50% of which are migratory birds.

Noida's botanical garden
Noida's botanical garden was formed with the aim to turn it into a hub of special and endangered plants, representing the entire country. which is located in Sector 38A of the city, started in 2002. Today, it sprawls across 160 acres, There are around 7,500 plants in the garden. The garden has a seed bank, where seeds of more than 250 plant species are conserved. It also features a map of India, made entirely from plants.

Scientists are giving a new lease of life to endangered and extinct plant species at the Botanical Garden. A look around the green expanse reveals species like Psilotum nudum, better known as skeleton fork fern. Considered a "primitive" plant – a descendant of possibly the first group of vascular plants from 400 million years ago – that was widespread during the Devonian and Silurian periods – its name means "bare naked" in Latin as it lacks most of the organs found in plants species that evolved later.

Noida's botanical garden is divided into 10 sections. The "medicinal plants" section has an astounding variety of 96 plants and is further divided into eight sections named after the parts of the human body they benefit. For example, the "digestive system" section has aloe vera and Gymnema sylvestre (madhunaashini), which treats diabetes.

The "blood and circulation" section has Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Aristolochia indica (Isharmul) – blood purifiers. The "musculo-skeletal" section has Cissus quadrangularis (Hadjod); "skin disease" section has Plumbago zeylanica (Chitarak) which cures leucoderma.

Noida's botanical garden has a large fruit section which has many varieties of mango, pomegranate, lemon, pear, plum, mulberry, etc., besides their speciality the black guava. The woodland section is equally impressive with trees like Sapindus Emarginatus (Reetha), Pterocarpus marsupium (Sandalwood), Dalbergia sissoo (Sheesham wood), and Tectona Grandis (Teakwood).

The garden also has a lotus pond featuring five different coloured water lilies.

Noida Dog Park
The Noida Dog Park is a 3.85 acres park dedicated to dogs where pet owners can visit with their pets. The park allows dogs to get off-leash exercise and social activity. There are shelters for stray dogs in the park.

It is located in Sector 137 behind SKS World School. The entry to the park is through another park located opposite the Noida Sector 137 Metro Station.

The park has swings, pools, green space, walking paths, and a play area. It also has a selfie-worthy wall mural. The park is open to visitors daily from 6am-12pm and from 5pm-10pm. The park is popular among dog owners not just in Noida but in Delhi as well. The Noida Authority is planning to hire an agency to run a dog-food canteen and a vet clinic. Pet trainers will be provided.

Metro
Noida is connected by rail by the Noida Metro and Delhi Metro.
 * The Noida Metro is a rapid transit system connecting the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida in Gautam Buddh Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India. The metro network consists of one line (called Aqua Line), with a total length of 29.7 kilometres (18.5 mi) serving 21 stations. A second line is planned.
 * The Delhi Metro officially ran in Noida on 12 November 2009. It now connects Connaught Place and Dwarka sub-city, via the Blue Line.The same Blue Line connects Noida with Vaishali through the Yamuna Bank interchange station.
 * Delhi Metro's Magenta Line connects Noida and Janakpuri via Botanical Garden and Janakpuri West metro stations.

Noida is not directly connected via high-speed rail, but there are railway stations nearby reachable by road, including Ghaziabad railway station and Anand Vihar Terminal. However, the New Delhi Railway Station and Old Delhi Railway station, which are both accessible via metro, are the main railway stations most often used by commuters to reach Noida.

Road
Noida has roads laid mostly in a grid pattern, and all main roads are 6 lanes wide. Noida features three main expressways. One is the DND Flyway, which connects Noida and Delhi, and runs across the river Yamuna. The second is the Noida–Greater Noida Expressway, which connects Noida to Greater Noida. The third is the Yamuna Expressway which connects Greater Noida to Agra via Mathura. The Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Delhi–Meerut Expressway, Upper Ganges Canal Expressway and the Ganga Expressway are the four expressways that are currently under construction which will be passing through the city. The area adjacent to the NGN Expressway has seen heavy residential development in recent years.

A 4/6-lane double-decker elevated road is over the MP-II which takes only 5 minutes to cross the whole city. This 4.8 km road starts from Flex crossing and ends at Vishwa Bharti school. Another elevated road from sector 12/22 to sector 12/10-21/21A crossing is going to be built on the MP-I road. Three more elevated roads are planned. Along with these five elevated roads, several underpasses are under construction or approval and all these projects could be completed by 2020. Noida will become the city with the highest number of elevated roads and underpasses in India.

UPSRTC, DTC and private buses ply through some routes in the city. Taxi, auto-rickshaws, and cycle rickshaws are available for short-distance transport.

The Noida-Greater Noida Expressway is poised to become a self-sustaining urban pocket in Noida with good infrastructure. This 24.5 km corridor has attracted real estate Noida Extension investors and buyers with its good infrastructure facilities and connectivity to the other regions of NCR.

This area has emerged as a major growth corridor. Sectors abutting this corridor are 44, 45, 92–94, 96–100, 105, 108, 125–137 and 141–168. These sectors lie towards the south and south-east of Noida.

As of December 2021, a new Faridabad-Noida-Gurgaon (FNG) expressway is also under construction to connect Faridabad and Gurgaon directly with Noida.

Air
The nearest airport to Noida is the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. In June 2017, the Union Government sanctioned the construction of an international airport in Jewar, officially named the Noida International Greenfield Airport, to reduce the traffic of the one in New Delhi. The bhoomi pujan for the airport in Jewar was done on 25 November 2021.

Bus
Noida has a bus stand at Morna village in Sector 35. There are regular buses to nearby cities like New Delhi, Dehradun, Ghaziabad, Tappal, Khair, Aligarh, Hathras, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Haridwar and others. Uttar Pradesh Parivahan runs local buses in the city. However, there are plans to shift the Bus Stand from Morna.

Colleges and universities
Noida is the location of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University and various colleges affiliated with it. Noida is also the home to other institutions, including:
 * Amity University, Noida
 * Government Post Graduate College Noida
 * IMS Law College
 * Jaypee Institute of Information Technology
 * JSS Academy of Technical Education

Schools
High schools in Noida include:
 * Delhi Public School, Noida
 * Kendriya Vidyalaya
 * Maharishi Vidya Mandir
 * Ryan International School

Media
Noida is a prominent location for the Indian entertainment industry, with many films, television series, news channels, and other media being filmed here. An example of a music company having its headquarters here is T-Series. The city is fast becoming a favourite among directors who want to show a shot of urban culture or college life. According to film producer Rishabh Arora, "Noida has developed a lot in the last decade and feels like home. And it's a great place for outdoor shoots. Films with urban stories become big hits and Noida lends the perfect flavor for urban-themed movies and song sequences. The city has highways, colleges, wide roads, and a good crowd." Film City, established by Sandeep Marwah, is a hub for major news channels and studios.

News channels such as News Nation, WION, Zee News, NDTV, TV Today group, Network 18, NewsX, and India TV are situated here and some newspaper company also working in Noida like as Amar Ujala – Noida, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhaskar, Rajasthan Patrika, The Indian Express, Tricity Today and The Times of India. Noida's proximity to Delhi, which is the political hub of the country, makes it an attractive destination for news channels. Commercial activities have also risen in recent years, with a spate of new malls including Mall of India, The Great India Place, Spice World Mall and multiplexes.

Sports
In 2005, the city hosted the Noida Half-Marathon and the city's maiden international exposure, the Queen's Baton Relay for the Commonwealth Games. The cycling competition for the 2010 commonwealth games was held at NOIDA-Greater Noida expressway. The Noida Golf Course is situated on the southern end of the city, The Noida Golf 18 hole par 72 Course having a length of 6989 yards length has been assessed by Indian Golf Union Technical Committee. In 2011, Greater Noida hosted the inaugural Formula One Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit constructed by Jaypee Group. The circuit is the first of its kind in South Asia.

An international cricket stadium has been built in Sector 21 known as Noida Cricket Stadium with a capacity of around 20,000 spectators, the Noida Stadium Complex houses facilities like dedicated tracks for cycling enthusiasts, golf, and football training facilities. The Noida Cricket Stadium Complex consists of a Basketball court, Squash court, Table-tennis court, Lawn tennis court, Golf course, and Skating rink.

A 50,000-capacity cricket stadium-cum-sports facility with 125 acres land will be built at Noida expressway in Sector 152, which makes it bigger than Feroz Shah Kotla in capacity and area.

Literature and the arts

 * Ram Awana, Indian film and television actor
 * Vikram Seth, novelist and poet

Politics

 * Nawab Singh Nagar, politician
 * Tejpal Singh Nagar, politician
 * Mahesh Sharma, politician
 * Pankaj Singh, politician, MLA for Noida
 * D. P. Yadav, politician

Sports

 * Parvinder Awana, Indian cricketer
 * Varun Singh Bhati, para high jumper
 * Shivam Mavi, Indian cricketer
 * Robin Singh, footballer
 * Arjun Vajpai, mountaineer

Villages in Noida City
Noida originally consisted of around 81 villages, but now comes under the Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh.

Still, Noida villages lack permanent postal and individual address but according to officials, the homes in villages will be soon mapped using aerial imagery captured by drones designed by North East Centre For Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), an autonomous society set up under the Union government's department of science and technology. These maps will also provide crucial information about rural areas in an emergency. Officials said it will take almost a year to complete mapping and allotting addresses to all 81 villages.

With houses getting mapped and being allotted a formal address in Noida villages, procuring information on land rights, development plans, etc. will become easier. "Easily available maps will also be helpful in advancing development plans and settling disputes over bordering parcels of land. Mapping will also ease land transfers, by creating reliable maps and title documents."