Soon the commuters of Agra will get a big relief from the daily traffic jams as the Taj city is all set to get its first Metro soon. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath revealed earlier today that Metro services will be operational for the people of Agra by early 2024. He was inaugurating the underground work for the tunnel of the Agra Metro Rail Project being started by the Uttar Pradesh Rail Metro. Corporation (UPMRC), where he said this. According to a statement, the priority corridor is the six kilometer corridor from Taj East Gate to Jama Masjid.
UP CM Adityanath said, “The priority corridor of six kilometers will be completed six months before the set target and metro services will be operational for the people of Agra by the beginning of 2024.”
Also read: Vande Bharat Express damaged again, stones pelted on train in Chhattisgarh
The priority corridor will have three elevated metro stations Taj East Gate, Basai Metro Station and Fatehabad Road Metro Station as well as three underground metro stations Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Jama Masjid.
“Agra Metro will not only help in public transport but will also help tourists and generate employment opportunities for youth. Metro rail services are operational in Lucknow, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Kanpur.”
He said, “Agra will also emerge as a metro city in future and will provide ample employment opportunities, promote tourism and boost its image on the world map.”
The Chief Minister also inspected the route for the proposed G-20 summit to be held in Agra from February 10 to 13. “I have inspected the route for the G-20 summit. Uttar Pradesh is all set to host the G-20 summit with enthusiasm.”
UPMRC Managing Director Sushil Kumar said, “UPMRC has always completed Metro projects on time and ahead of schedule. This time also we will achieve the same feat by providing world class Metro to the people of Agra ahead of schedule.”
Agra Metro’s Deputy General Manager (DGM) and Public Relations Officer (PRO) Panchanan Mishra told PTI-Bhasha, “After the first success at Agra Fort Metro Station, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) will then move towards Taj Mahal Metro Station (Old). Mandi Chauraha) and thereafter retrieved from the retrieval shaft.”
“The weight of a TBM will be around 450 tonnes and its length will be around 85 metres. The TBM works for around 10 meters every day. It will work from Monday to Friday and machinery will be repaired on Saturday and Sunday,” he added.
The digging of the tunnel will be done through two TBMs named ‘Yamuna’ and ‘Ganga’. The foundation stone of Agra Metro Rail was laid virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 7, 2020.
(With inputs from PTI)