LUCKNOW: The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) will develop two new cities — one in Vrindavan and the other in Agra — along the E-Way. Uttar Pradesh industry minister Satish Mahana gave the green signal to the proposal of the two new cities at a meeting with top officials on Friday. Sources said the city in Vrindavan will be developed across 4,000 hectares area, while the one to come up in Agra will be spread across 2,500 hectares.
The YEIDA has also planned a heritage corridor from Jewar, the site for an international airport project, to Agra to promote cultural tourism along the 165km-Yamuna Expressway. After the review meeting, to evaluate the progress of Noida International Greenfield Airport at Jewar, YEIDA CEO Arun Vir Singh said the project of developing two new cities got the minister’s approval and that the work would commence soon.
The YEIDA will start work on a detailed project report (DPR) of the two cities and send it to the state government for its approval, said the CEO adding that “these projects will cater to housing needs in Vrindavan and Agra”. “It is an attempt to give boost to cultural tourism under the heritage corridor. The cultural and historic cities like Mathura, Vrindavan and Agra are famous internationally. We are committed to provide all the support so that the tourists who visit Taj Mahal also extend their trip to Mathura and Vrindavan,” said Mahana.
The Uttar Pradesh government on April 24, 2001, had established YEIDA for development of areas between Greater Noida and Agra along the Yamuna Expressway. The objective was to set up industries to generate employment and develop urban areas. Around 2 lakh hectares from 1,187 villages of six districts, Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura and Agra, were notified under the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority. The authority has been able to acquire at least 25,000 hectares of land along the 165-kilometre long e-way to allot the same for the development of cities along the corridor.