Yeida fast-tracks ‘new Agra’ project, to rival Chandigarh in planned development

Yeida to develop New Agra on the lines of Chandigarh

Two weeks after the Uttar Pradesh government approved the Master Plan-2031, the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) on Wednesday announced that it has fast-tracked the development of a new city in Agra, envisioned on the lines of Chandigarh.

The proposed New Agra Urban Centre, spanning approximately 12,000 hectares, will focus on industrial, residential, commercial, and tourism-based development. A key feature of the plan is Yeida’s commitment to allowing only green category industries, unlike Noida, which permits orange and yellow category units as well.

“This new Agra city project will be unique in many ways because Agra is known on the world map due to the Taj Mahal, where international tourists throng throughout the year,” said Arun Vir Singh, CEO of Yeida. “We want to showcase our heritage, culture, architecture and governance model to an international audience through this urban centre,” he added.

According to Yeida, the detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared by a private consultant and is expected to be completed soon. With the master plan now in place, the next step is to prepare zonal plans and begin land acquisition, officials said.

“If the farmers sell their land willingly, we will buy it through direct registry because acquiring land under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, is a time-consuming process,” Singh said.

The proposed land-use distribution under the master plan allocates 29% of the area for residential use, while 22% is earmarked for green zones to ensure environmental sustainability. Green-category industries will occupy 17% of the space, and 7% has been designated for public, educational, and healthcare facilities. Commercial activities will take up 5%, with another 4% set aside for mixed land use. Additionally, 16% of the area is reserved for transportation infrastructure, and the remaining portion will be used for miscellaneous purposes.

Singh noted that every sector will include designated green zones, and the city’s design will ensure that no building gate opens directly onto a main road. The road hierarchy will consist of arterial, service, sector, and internal roads, officials said. All roads, including internal lanes and major arteries, will be flanked by green belts, they added.

Residential sectors will range from 800 to 1,200 metres in size to facilitate better traffic management, officials said. There will be dedicated pedestrian walkways, cycling tracks, and segregated utility corridors. In line with the district’s green and sustainable focus, heritage parks, water bodies, and museums will also be built to enhance ecological balance and cultural appeal, they added.

 “Agra lures international tourists due to the Taj Mahal. We want to build a city where foreigners will come not just for the monument but to experience India’s beauty, art, culture, and planning,” Singh added.

According to officials, Yeida envisions this as a model city, aiming to surpass Chandigarh and Noida in planned development, especially in green infrastructure and theme-based urban design, including miniatures of Ayodhya, Mathura, and Kashi.