Yeida plans to develop new city on Agra outskirts

The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) will develop a new city on 10,500 hectares of land in Agra region, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday.

The development will focus on encouraging tourism and setting up of manufacturing-related units along with residential centres in an urban area to be set up along the Yamuna Expressway that connects Greater Noida with Agra, officials said.

“We have decided to acquire 10,500 hectares of land in Agra district to develop an urban centre there along the Yamuna Expressway. We have decided to approve a development concept in our upcoming board meeting scheduled by end of November. Once the YEIDA board will approve this plan we will prepare a master plan for the development of this new City. Once the master plan will be approved the authority will start the process of acquiring the land for this project that will create business opportunities in Agra region,” said Arun Vir Singh Singh chief executive officer, Yeida.

This is the first time that Yeids has decided to develop areas on land located along the expressway in Agra region since it was established on April 24, 2001 with aim of development of areas between Greater Noida and Agra by setting up industries to generate employment and developing urban areas. Around 2 lakh hectares from 1,187 villages of six districts — Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura and Agra — were notified under Yeida. However, the authority has been able to acquire only 20,000 hectares along the expressway with an aim to allot the same for development. So far, the development along the Yamuna Expressway has only been in Gautam Budh Nagar district that boasts of Noida International Airport, the proposed Film City and other mega industrial projects.

Officials said that once approved, the authority will rope in an architectural consultant to prepare the master plan detailing the exact land usage in the new city on the outskirts of Agra.

“We aim to allow tourism and manufacturing industries in the proposed city, besides offering residential facilities,” said Singh.

“If the board will approve the proposal then we will expedite the work on development of this city and take the project to the next stage as per the directions of the UP government,” he added.