Keeping Commonwealth Games in mind, Govt to speed up development works at Agra

UP government has directed the government agencies implementing development works in the city of Agra to complete all works by June 30.

Keeping in view of the huge influx of tourists in Agra owing to the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held at Delhi from October 3, chief secretary (UP) Atul Kumar Gupta has given directions that all construction works in Agra and expansion in tourist facilities there should to be completed by June 30.

At an important meeting held in Lucknow on Monday, the chief secretary said that the guests coming from the Commonwealth nations will be visiting world renowned tourist places like Agra and Mathura in large numbers.

Keeping this in mind, he has asked the Agra development authority, Nagar Nigam Agra, Tourism, Forest Department and Public Works Department to work on a war-footing to get the works related to them completed at the earliest.

He also directed that operation of battery-operated cars near the Taj Mahal besides works like putting up impressive sign boards which give information about the direction and place etc should all be completed on time.

It may be mentioned that prior to the Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 will pass through the state of Uttar Pradesh in two phases wherein it will also have a night stay in Agra during its visit there.

In the first phase, from July 8 to 13, the relay would pass through Bareilly, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Amethi, Allahabad and Varanasi while in the second phase, from September 20 to 22, the relay will cover Lalitpur, Jhansi and Agra before proceeding towards New Delhi. It will reach Agra on September 21 where a cultural function during the night halt has been planned.

On September 22, the relay will be heading towards Jaipur on way to New Delhi.