Agra! A city of monuments and the land of the Taj Mahal attracts millions of tourists from across the globe. Its narrow roads and old infrastructure have been overwhelmed by the weight of the increasing population and tourist traffic. As a result, the city has been witnessing a rise in vehicle count, leading to dense traffic congestion.The need of the hour has been to mitigate the transportation issue.The key solution was the Agra Metro Rail Project,which will serve over 6million tourists and 2.6 million locals annually. During the execution of the project, 18,230 saplings will be planted, making Agra a greener city. The corridors With an estimated budget of Rs 8,379.62 crore, the Agra Metro Rail Project has two corridors, with a total length of 29.40 km. The project is being partly funded by the Government of India and the Uttar Pradesh government on an equal equity basis, along with a Euro 480 million loan from the European Investment Bank. Corridor 1 is 14km long and connects Taj East Gate to Sikandra with six elevated stations and seven underground stations. The majority of this portion, 7.5 km long, is underground. Corridor2 is 15.40 km long and comprises 14 elevated stations;it connects Agra Cantonment to KalindiVihar.St John’s College is the intersection junction for both corridors. This corridor spreads across 7km and comprises three elevated stations and three underground stations running between Jama Masjid and Taj East Gate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the construction of Agra Metro in December 2020.Line1 is under construction and estimated to be completed by 2025. Several contractors including SAM India Builtwelland Lisha Engineering are part of the project; SAM India Builtwell won the first civil contract of Agra Metro. Aditya Goel, Director, SAM India Builtwell, says, “We are proud to be a part of our nation’s development and the development of this heritage city. This is a composite work including all structural, finishing and PEB works. There are three metro stations about 2.5km of viaduct in this project.” Overcoming challenges Construction of the mass transit in this historical city has encountered several challenges, which include clearances and restrictions. Kumar Keshav, Managing Director, Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) says, “As Agra is known for its heritage, there is an added responsibility to build the metro in a good manner. We had to get the Supreme Court’s permission to build the metro due to Taj trapezium zone, as there are alot of momentary restrictions. We got that clearance from the Supreme Court in July 2020. We received the clearance from National Monument Authority this year to construct the underground stations. And that tender is already on .” “Agra is a heritage city and because of the Taj Mahal, there are a lot of tourists and VIP movement in and around the city and it gets difficult to work smoothly under these conditions,” says Goel. “We started the project with initial surveys and project planning. During the project planning, we ensured no public inconvenience and that all safety standards and protocols were put in place.” “We started work on December 7, 2020,” shares Keshav. “Thereafter, work is progressing and the 3-km elevated portion from Taj East Gate to Fatehabad is going on well. Only one depot is there is constructed at present. Many stations and depots are also being constructed. After this, there is a 7.5km underground portion, which has seven underground stations. The first station is Taj Mahal. Next week, in the Agra metro project, cage lowering will be done for constructing Diaphragm Wall for the UG Metro Station.” Despite the global pandemic, SAM India Builtwell managed to set a record of completing 400 piles in five months. “In this time of COVID and multiple lockdowns, we are still progressing at a good pace,” adds Goel. “We have already erected our first U-girder and also completed two out of three stations concourse pie-girders.” Technologies used The project features quality innovation and advanced technology. A digital project management system is being utilised with BIM. FLEXX Metro Bogies and the MITRAC propulsion system will be installed on the trains made of light and sturdy stainless steel. Each train will accommodate approximately 960 passengers in a three-car configuration. The metro also features dedicated sections for differently abled citizens. Agra Metro has an estimated 87 coaches incorporating modern passenger information systems. “In this line, we have used arch corners and curved girders to protect the heritage city and improve the aesthetics of the metro line,” says Goel. “The use of pre stressed, precast elements is another important aspect in this project. Infact, many elements of the stations are also precast, which helps reduce time and decrease public inconvenience while working.” With all these features and amenities, the Agra Metro System is set to see a successful completion and accelerate the city’s growth.