Agra ::: Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for the civil terminal project here on Sunday. This project was much–awaited, seeing see-saw progress for the past 12 years. The civil terminal, when completed, will provide access to air passengers without going through extra scanning because Kheria terminal of Agra is within the defence area.
PM Modi was in Varanasi on Sunday to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 23 projects worth ₹6,611.18 crore to the countrymen.
“Those interested in travelling by air have to reach the civil enclave within Kheria Airport which is located on Air Force premises. Thus, there were restrictions and commuters had to get down at Kheria gate from where they were allowed in buses to reach Kheria civil enclave from where flights take off and land,” said Rajeev Saxena, member of Civil Society of Agra which had been raising the demand for separate air terminal for flight connectivity to Agra.
“The civil terminal, foundation for which was laid on Sunday, will clear many hassles that a traveller looking for flights had to undergo,” said Saxena while hoping that work for the civil terminal will be completed in time to enhance air connectivity of Agra.
The airport proposed at Dhanoli in Agra district is to be spread in an area of 150 acres. The project was prepared in 2012 during the BSP regime and next year in 2013, Samajwadi Party government in UP led by Akhilesh Yadav cleared the proposal for land acquisition for civil terminal but things were not very smooth.
{{/usCountry}}The airport proposed at Dhanoli in Agra district is to be spread in an area of 150 acres. The project was prepared in 2012 during the BSP regime and next year in 2013, Samajwadi Party government in UP led by Akhilesh Yadav cleared the proposal for land acquisition for civil terminal but things were not very smooth.
{{/usCountry}}The exact site of the airport could not be fixed and in 2014, a location within Firozabad district was preferred. However, in 2016, the process for acquiring land at Dhanoli in Agra district began and work for boundary wall began in 2018. Today, the laying of foundation stone has revived hopes for comfortable air connectivity for Agra denizens.
An event was organised in Agra on Sunday where address by the Prime Minister was telecast live. It was attended by union minister of state and Agra MP Prof SP Singh Baghel, minister in UP cabinet Baby Rani Maurya and MP from Fatehpur Sikri Raj Kumar Chahar.