The government has approved a ₹1,645 crore ($198 million) project to connect the Yamuna Expressway with the Delhi-Agra National Highway in Mathura, officials said Tuesday.
As published by CNBC, the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad received the clearance on the last day of the financial year.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will begin acquiring land for the first phase of the project, which aims to enhance connectivity between Noida, Agra, and Mathura.
Shyam Bahadur Singh, vice chairman of the Mathura-Vrindavan Development Authority and ex-officio CEO of the Parishad, said the 15-kilometer, six-lane road will link the Yamuna Expressway at its 101st kilometer to the Delhi-Agra Highway near Jaint. The project also includes a bridge over the Yamuna River.
The planned route starts from Jaint (Km 129.32), passes near Ramtal in Vrindavan, crosses the Yamuna, and merges with the expressway. A designated exit for Vrindavan will allow pilgrims and tourists from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh to access the city without facing traffic congestion, Singh said.
The link road is expected to improve traffic flow for travelers from eastern and western Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and other states heading to Mathura and Vrindavan via Agra.
The Parishad had submitted the project roadmap to the state govt nearly three years ago. Singh said the plan also includes a bridge spanning the Yamuna from Jugal Ghat in Vrindavan to Jahangirpur.
Additionally, a multi-level parking facility with a 3,000-vehicle capacity will be developed to ease congestion by allowing visitors to park outside the city and use smaller vehicles for local travel.
The state govt has already allocated ₹150 crore ($18 million) in the current financial year’s budget to construct a corridor in Vrindavan, similar to projects in Ayodhya and Varanasi, to improve access to the Banke Bihari Temple.
“With these developments, Mathura-Vrindavan is set to become a major tourism hub,” Singh said. “Better infrastructure and connectivity will significantly boost tourism in the region.”