Agra: If you find the answer, do let us know, because we are confused. Many residents believe that on one side, there is a group of elected representatives, and on the other, a battalion of bureaucrats who together are squeezing Agra dry.
The results are evident. Neither has industrial development taken place, nor has the environment been safeguarded. The list of problems keeps growing longer.
Despite numerous efforts, there is still no clarity on when the Yamuna River will be clean, pristine, and brimming with water. When will the construction of the Yamuna Barrage begin? When will the district’s canal system be repaired? When will the smaller tributaries be revived?
Officials must answer when the residents will get clean air and potable water. What is the plan to make the city’s local transport system safe, comfortable, and affordable? When will the city be free of encroachments? When will traffic jams cease?
The ruling party leadership must clarify whether Agra will get a High Court bench or not. Will international flights ever operate from Agra?
A city with three UNESCO World Heritage monuments, attracting over a crore tourists annually and serving as the hub of the tourism industry, has been struggling for its identity and existence for far too long. While MLAs fly kites from the Yamuna’s riverbed, they shy away from addressing when the river will be filled with water and transformed from polluted to pristine. What an irony for this city! For three decades, one party has received overwhelming support, yet all leaders seem more focused on their personal growth journeys rather than collectively advocating for Agra’s interests.
Since 1993, it feels as though Agra has been governed solely by the Supreme Court. Officials are so engrossed in their “divine duties” that they only learn about tree felling through the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Thanks to an alert media, otherwise, no one would know how Agra is being silently destroyed by conspiracies of neglect!
Ask the bureaucrats of the Agra Development Authority (ADA) what planned urban development means. Years ago, crores were spent to create a vision plan through the Delhi School of Architecture and Town Planning, but its whereabouts are unknown. The Municipal Corporation is yet to decide whether Agra is a smart city or a heritage city.
Many have pointed out that unscientific tiling and the construction of concrete footpaths without leaving breathing space for trees, as seen in Paliwal Park, is not ideal. The tiles should have been hexagonal with holes for grass to grow in between.
The ADA officials, who lack knowledge of environmental conservation, are ruining the city’s landscape. Citizens need to wake up against the ADA and some dishonest builders who grab land.
“It is truly sad and unfortunate that we cannot act against those who have encroached on community ponds and green patches,” says environmentalist Dr. Devashish Bhattacharya. “A section of the population considers open spaces useless. Every inch of land along riverbanks and open drains is being grabbed. Hotels have been built over drains, and we remain helpless spectators because these are powerful people who can easily silence dissent.”
A long-standing demand has been to establish an urban art and landscaping body to assist the ADA in creating eco-friendly construction plans. However, the mandarins in power never allow any intervention to protect their vested interests. Bureaucrats come and go, but the city’s long-term interests never seem to matter to them. The ADA must change.
We all know that the Municipal Corporation is under-resourced. Whatever it earns from various taxes is spent on maintaining the system. It is time to democratize the Agra Development Authority, as this institution itself appears sick, colonial, and stressed.
It is a sad but largely true commentary that the civic affairs of this great city are not being managed properly. We neither have committed managers nor capable experts to handle these issues. Also, there is a distinct lack of intent.
