Agra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday virtually inaugurated the Agra Metro from Kolkata.
The Metro has created history for being the first in the country to start running on the tracks almost nine months ahead of schedule. On this occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the Agra Metro from Taj Mahal Metro Station.
The Agra Metro is the sixth metro running in UP. The construction of the primary underground section was supposed to take 32 months, but it was completed in just 23 months. PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Agra Metro on December 7, 2020.
In the first phase, the metro will run for up to 6 kilometres, including six stations in the priority corridor. The general public will be able to travel in the Metro from Thursday onwards. AI surveillance will be conducted within the metro station.
After the metro service was inaugurated CM Yogi himself embarked on a journey in the Agra Metro, travelling from the Taj Mahal station to the Taj East station, accompanied by public representatives.
Sharing his experience in the visitor book, the CM wrote, "Agra Metro was virtually inaugurated by the Prime Minister on Wednesday. Timeliness is important, along with the quality of the project. Agra Metro has upheld this standard. Best Wishes."
Speaking on the occasion, he said that the work on Agra Metro began in December 2021, and within two years, the first 6 km of the Priority Section was completed. "This includes three elevated and three underground metro stations. With the completion of this work, metro services have also started," he said.
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Yogi said, "With the commencement of the Agra Metro, UP has achieved the distinction of being the first state in the country to provide metro services in most of its cities. Prior to this, metro services have already been running in Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Kanpur. Today, I am pleased that the sixth Metro facility is being made available to the people of Braj and Agra as well."
He mentioned that the UP Metro Corporation's dedication to the Kanpur Metro, Lucknow Metro, and Agra Metro projects has been commendable. "Agra Metro has become the first in the country to achieve the record of developing three underground stations in an area of 3 km at a fast pace by completing the work before the stipulated time. This is an accomplishment in itself," he said.
The CM expressed heartfelt gratitude to UPMRC for their service, noting that the corporation has demonstrated the effective implementation of PM Modi's vision for the benefit of the people of UP along with that of visitors and tourists.
He said that the Agra Metro, like the Kanpur Metro and Lucknow Metro, will emerge as a symbol of public trust for the quality of work and its completion in record time.
Yogi mentioned that Agra is one of the oldest cities in the state and the city of Brajbhoomi. "This city is connected to the tales of valour and bravery of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he said.
He expressed gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for choosing Agra for the metro project. "The work of other facilities in Agra like having its own airport and its civil terminal is also progressing rapidly. Ganga water should be available for drinking water under the JICA project," he said.
The CM said, "The government is also doing the work of rapidly pursuing those programs to develop this city in the form of IT sector on priority basis. Keeping in mind the convenience of the citizens as well as the tourists coming here, the efforts started by the double-engine government are being implemented today in the form of metro, airport, and other public facilities."
He extended his heartfelt congratulations to the residents of Agra for this gift being given to them before Holi. He thanked all the public representatives of Agra for their cooperation in completing these projects on time and expressed confidence that with continued support, future metro projects in Agra will also be completed on schedule.
After the Prime Minister gave the green signal, the metro embarked on its journey. Thirty-two students from Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1 were selected to travel by metro train. They travelled from the Taj Mahal station to Taj East.
On this occasion, Union Minister of State Kaushal Kishore, Union Minister of State Prof SP Singh Baghel, local MPs, MLAs, and other public representatives were present. (UNI)
