Yamuna Expressway authority set to prepare urban development plan for Agra

The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) has decided to prepare a plan for urban development on at least 12,000 hectares of land in Agra district along the expressway in line with its objective of generating employment and development in the region.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the authority is exploring economically feasible development options in the area for which it has hired Ernst & Young Global Limited to conduct a survey and submit a detailed report.

The agency is tasked to complete the survey and submit the report in the next three months, the officials said.

The authority has already drawn up a plan for urban development in five other districts of Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras and Mathura.

“Once the agency will submit its report, we will prepare the development plan. We need to finalise after the survey that what should be given priority between tourism and industrial development in that area, as the region is close to the Taj Mahal which is a huge tourist spot,” said Arun Vir Singh, Yeida chief executive officer, on Monday.

The Uttar Pradesh government on April 24, 2001, established Yeida for planned development along the 165km-long stretch of the Yamuna Expressway falling between Greater Noida and Agra. Its objective was to set up industries to generate employment and develop urban areas in the region.

Around 2 lakh hectares of land from 1,187 villages in six districts — Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura and Agra — were notified under Yeida. According to its master plan-2041, Yeida aims to construct 8 lakh houses by 2041-end to cater to the 42 lakh population in 171 villages in Bulandshahr and Gautam Budh Nagar districts.

After finalisation of the above-mentioned master plan, Yeida aims to prepare the urban development plan well in advance for land located in Agra. It has already planned urban development activities for around 24,000 hectares of land located in Aligarh, Mathura and Hathras districts, officials said.

“As we have land located along the Yamuna Expressway in these six districts, we need to plan urban activities now for future developmental purposes. Therefore, we have decided to focus on land located in Agra district,” said Ravinder Singh, additional CEO of Yeida.