NOIDA: The Noida Authority will soon hand over the newly built traffic park to the transport department, enabling the latter to conduct practical tests for driving licences on its own premises. The department is currently operating out of a rented building.According to sources, driving licences are currently being issued without a practical test as the ARTO office in Sector 32 is in a rented building and there is no track to conduct the mandatory driving test here.Located in Sector 108, the traffic park, constructed at a cost of Rs 80 crore, has a track for practical tests apart from a railway track, administrative complex, auditorium, cafeteria, solar blinkers, traffic signals, auto number plate reader and life-size models of pedestrian crossing, roundabout, foot overbridge (FOB), underpass, etc.The handover of the project, which had been stalled due to a dispute over payment, has been approved by the Authority.Conceptualised in 2007, the construction, which began in 2015, was to be completed in the same year. However, the work of the park had stretched far beyond its deadline.A Noida Authority official said that only the work on underpass is pending, which is most likely to be completed by November 15.On Monday, officials of transport department led by RTO (Ghaziabad) Ajay Tripathi held a meeting with the Noida Authority. The spot was inspected and a discussion was held on how the facility and the infrastructure can be optimally utilised.However, it is yet to be seen whether the cost of maintenance of the huge facility will be borne solely by the transport department.Principal secretary (transport) Anuradha Shukla had inspected the facility on November 13 last year after which the matter was pursued at the senior level of the department.

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