G.Noida to Agra in 2 hours

Visitors wishing to visit Agra during the upcoming Commonwealth Games in October would be able to do so in under 2 hours.

The Yamuna Expressway, between Greater Noida and Agra, is going to be ready by the time the Games begin in Delhi.

Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority Additional Chief Executive Officer Y.K. Bahl on Monday said the expressway, except some stretches, bridges and interchanges, would be ready by October.

Briefing about the 165-kilometre Yamuna Expressway between Greater Noida and Agra, Bahl said, “Travel time will be less than 2 hours from Greater Noida to Agra. The cost of the Yamuna Expressway is approximately Rs 10,000 crore. More than half the cost has been spent so far.”

But Bahl added that the entire expressway would be completed only by March 2011.

“The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is monitoring the progress of the project. It is expected that the road till Agra will ready by September this year, with the need to use the service road at some locations.”

Though the residents of Greater Noida and Noida are happy with the development of the Yamuna Expressway, they have expressed resentment over making the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway stretch part of the Yamuna Expressway and levying of toll.

Bahl refused to commit whether toll will be levied on the stretch between Noida and Greater Noida.

He said, “A stretch of 22 kilometres will be handed over to J.P. Infratech, who will widen it to four lanes and maintain this Expressway.”