Agra has always had a very ancient identity but now with new dimensions of modernity, the city has joined the 21st century, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said as he inaugurated the phase one of the construction of Agra Metro project on Monday. While the Prime Minister joined the event virtually, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath was physically present in the city.

Taking a dig at the previous governments, Modi said, “A big problem with infrastructure development in the country was that projects were announced but not much attention was paid on the arrangement of funds. Hence, projects kept dragging for years. My government focused on starting new projects as well as arranging funds for them”.

The Prime Minister said that in the six years after 2014, more than 450km of metro lines have become operational in the country and about 1000km of metro lines are in progress. He added that connectivity in western UP is increasing at a fast pace due to modern facilities. “The country’s first rapid rail transport system is being built between Meerut to Delhi,” the Prime Minister said. “A 14-lane expressway between Delhi-Meerut will also start serving the people of this region soon,” Modi added.

Speaking about the scope and need to boost local tourism, PM Modi said, “Improved infrastructure – Better connectivity benefits our tourism sector the most. It has always been my opinion that tourism is a sector in which there are means of earning for everyone.”

The government has not only significantly increased the number of countries involved in the e-Visa Scheme, but has also reduced the tax on hotel room tariff significantly, he informed.

The Agra Metro project, an official says, will ease the movement of about 2.5 million local residents and provide connectivity to monuments, railway stations and major markets. There is optimism that hassle-free connectivity through Agra Metro would assist in promoting tourism.

The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) has set the target to complete the first phase of the Agra Metro Rail Project, estimated at Rs 8379.62 crore, by December 2022. The Metro rail project would help boost tourism in the Taj city, said Kumar Keshav, UPMRC’s managing director.

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