Yeida to develop 30-acre parking, elevated bridge in Vrindavan
The decision came after the UP Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, a government body for the development of the Braj region, urged Yeida to develop an open parking lot for visitors
GREATER NOIDA: To ease traffic pangs and provide better facilities for devotees visiting the Shri Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority is building a new parking facility located in Begumpur village, across the Yamuna, said officials on Monday.
Yeida will develop a 30 acre open parking facility for thousands of devotees visiting the Lord Krishna temple, officials said, adding that Yeida will also build a 1.5km elevated track to facilitate a seamless commute from parking to the main Shri Banke Bihari temple.
The decision came after the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, a government body for the development of the Braj region, on September 18 urged Yeida to develop an open parking lot for visitors who are hassled by the lack of adequate parking near the famous temple.
“We will develop 30 acres of open parking in the floodplains of Yamuna that passes through this town as the environmental norms allow us to use the floodplain land for parking purposes. Also, we will hand over the golf carts to Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad to offer free travel from the parking to temple for devotees. Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad will operate the parking facility and golf carts as our job is to arrange these facilities in the welfare of devotees,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer (CEO), Yeida.
The authority has decided to offer complete support to the local authorities in Vrindavan to streamline the traffic management so that devotees do not face parking problems.
Thousands of devotees throng this famous temple devoted to Lord Krishna every day.
In the absence of adequate parking in the city, they face immense problems first to get a safe parking lot, and then to reach the temple, said Yeida officials.
Yeida’s notified area is spread over 3,352 square kilometres in six districts -- Bulandshahr, Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras, and Agra.
The Uttar Pradesh government on April 24, 2001 had established Yeida for a planned development along the 165km Yamuna Expressway between Greater Noida and Agra. The objective was to set up industries to generate employment and develop urban areas in the region.
Over 200,000 hectares from 1,187 villages of six districts — Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura, and Agra — were notified under Yeida. It has decided to build a heritage city, an Expressway from 165km Yamuna Expressway to Vrindavan (Mathura), riverfront on Yamuna flood plains in Mathura and recreational facilities including sports zones on floodplain area of Yamuna in Mathura.
“It will be equipped with food plazas and other facilities for visitors’ convenience. The UP Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad wrote to the authority in view of the traffic jams on roads in Vrindavan, particularly on the weekends. We will also build a 1.50 km long elevated road from the parking site for direct access to Shree Banke Bihari and other temples in this area. The elevated road will offer a smooth commute to the thousands of devotees, who visit the temples without entering the main city of Vrindavan,” the CEO added.