Yamuna Expressway


Yamuna Expressway or Taj Expressway is a 6-lane, 165 km long, access controlled expressway, connecting Greater Noida with Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is one of India's longest six-lane controlled-access expressway stretches. The total project cost was. The project was started to decongest the older Delhi-Agra national highway or Mathura Road which is already over congested. The expressway project was inaugurated on 9 August 2012 by the then Chief Minister of UP Akhilesh Yadav.
The Yamuna Expressway starts from Pari Chowk in Greater Noida and ends at Kuberpur, Agra on NH-2 towards Kanpur. In addition, a total of 13 service roads of about 168 km have been built for local commuters to access the expressway. Yamuna Expressway will be connected with Eastern Peripheral Expressway via an interchange which is being built near Jaganpura –Afzalpur village at Yamuna Expressway in Gautam Budh Nagar district.

History

It was conceived with the idea of reducing the travel time between Delhi and Agra. But the project could not start because of a change of government in the state in 2003 and also it wasn't financially viable back in 2003. The project was reactivated in 2007 when Mayawati regained power and was renamed Yamuna Expressway.
Yamuna Expressway Project was implemented by Jaypee Group. In May 2012, Jaypee Group informed state government officials that construction of the expressway had been completed. The Yamuna Expressway was formally inaugurated on 9 August 2012 by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, via video-conference from Lucknow, about two years behind of its original target completion date.

Landing of Fighter jets

In a first for military aviation in India, Indian Air Force on May 21, 2015 successfully landed a French Dassault Mirage-2000 on the Yamuna Expressway near Raya village, Mathura, at about 6.40 am. The drill was part of more elaborate trials to see how many other highways can be used for emergency landing of defence aircraft. This first ever road landing by the IAF came close to another test landing by two Mirage-2000 aircraft on an airstrip in Akhilesh Yadav's Saifai village in Etawah. The Uttar Pradesh government had given a green signal on May 11 to convert a 3 km stretch of the upcoming Agra-Lucknow Expressway into a full-fledged road runway to the air force. Just as the Saifai landings, the IAF kept the operation secret and only took the authorities concerned on board. The IAF had prohibited all kinds of photography—still or video and deployed its photographers and videographers. The Central Air Command, in a meeting with former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, had made a formal presentation to the state government about converting a 3 km straight stretch of the Agra-Lucknow expressway into India's first road runway.

Salient Features

Some data about the Yamuna Expressway:
The Yamuna Expressway has SOS booths along the route besides a toll free helpline. CCTV cameras are installed every along the expressway for safety and accident assistance; mobile radars to monitor compliance with minimum and maximum speed limits; and one highway patrol every. The Expressway is expected to be used by over 100,000 vehicles every day, and reduce travel times between Greater Noida and Agra from 4 hours to 1 hour 40 minutes. Petrol pump at the halfway point at Tappal is open. Tappal from Noida Sec. 37 i.e. botanical garden or Noida city center.

Development

The Expressway was developed in three phases:
Speed Limit
The speed limit on the expressway is for vehicles. The right most lane on the expressway is reserved for overtaking only.
Upcoming Residential Project
Yamuna Expressway has become most preferred for Builders and developers. Many reputed builders are bringing residential project at Yamuna Expressway. To inject new life into the real estate market, Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority has come up with the lucrative affordable housing projects. Under the new subvention scheme YEIDA has launched 200 small ticket size apartments and 80 large size residential flats.

Toll rates

Toll will be charged at three points - at, and from Greater Noida. Cars and jeeps will be charged and mini-buses as toll. Buses and Trucks will pay. Charges for heavy vehicles will be. A summary table of toll rates is as below:
Vehicle CategoryTill Jewar ExitTill Mathura ExitTill Agra ExitFor Round Trip
Two wheeler60135205330
Car/Jeep/Van90275415665
LCV/Mini-Bus1854206351015
Bus/Truck37585512952070
Multi-axle Vehicle570130019703150
7+ axle Vehicle740168525504080

All figures in Indian Rupees.
A Agra Lucknow Expressway Project is completed with estimated budget of 15,000 crore extends YEA to Lucknow enabling fast transit.
Agra-Lucknow Expressway will extends to the proposed Sanjay Khan project of a theme park of seven cities. Yamuna Expressway linked to Agra-Lucknow Expressway through Agra Inner Ring Road Expressway which also shortens the distance and avoid heavy traffic of Agra, tourists can directly reach Taj Mahal.
Metro connectivity to Yamuna Expressway has got a green signal from the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority. The metro rail will run from the proposed metro station at Pari Chowk till Yamuna Expressway Sector 18 and 20. These are the 1st inhabited sectors urbanized by the authority and at present are under construction.