He lived a short yet momentous life, but Sanjay Gandhi would always be remembered for his two major initiatives: the people’s car – Maruti – and the formation of Noida under the UP Industrial Area Development Act on April 17, 1976. The old timers, however, will tell you till the late 80s, there were hardly any takers for Noida, short for New Okhla Industrial Development Authority. Though there were a few residential sectors already in place, the city got a new lease of life once the defense personnel started moving into their apartments at AWHO (Army Welfare Housing Organisation) sectors and JalVayu (Air Force and Navy) Vihar.
Different political regimes in Lucknow were also quick to realize Noida’s potential as one of Delhi-NCR’s fastest developing suburbs. Noida’s close proximity to the Capital, Faridabad as well as Ghaziabad, greenery and good infrastructure with better connectivity further worked wonders for the city’s economy. Today, it’s one of the highest contributors to the state exchequer among all UP towns! While Metro connects Noida to Dwarka, which is close to both Gurgaon and the IGI Airport, feeder buses and other public conveniences have added to Noida’s reputation as Delhi’s favourite suburb. Major international hospitality chains have their presence here with more than ten five-star deluxe hotels under construction. Besides having one of India’s top ranked private universities here, Noida is also well known for its prestigious schools.
