Uttar Pradesh is seen as the soul of India which mirrors the country in all its beautiful paradoxes; the cradle of Vedic civilization and the seat of Nirvana, the confluence of Indo Islamic culture and the stage for the First War of Independence.
Considering its saga of history and culture, the State Tourism has announced some forward-looking initiatives to develop Agra beyond Taj and the Heritage Arc of Uttar Pradesh which runs across the heart of the State covering three district regions - Agra, Lucknow and Varanasi.
To develop the Heritage Arc and welcome more tourists to enjoy the marvels of the City of Taj, the Agra Development Authority is developing an inner ring road from Kuberpur to Fatehabad Road that will connect the Yamuna Expressway to the Taj and will cut the travel time drastically letting tourists reach the Taj directly without hassles. A project has also been started with the help of the Union Ministry of Tourism for the development of Tajganj.
Making the Taj Mahal more accessible to tourists, the Archaeological Survey of India has initiated online ticketing. Right now, to see Taj Mahal on full moon nights tourists have to buy the manual ticket a day in advance, which will be converted to online ticketing very soon.
Key attractions near Agra like Sur Sarovar Sanctuary and Keetham Lake are also being promoted that are home to woodland and wetland birds. The Sanctuary, which is home to 250 rescued bears, attracts tourists from across the world.
Mughal Museum, showcasing the glorious Mughal past, along with a Centre for Living Tradition in Agra, is being developed with the aid of World Bank in Agra.
Agra Taj Car Rally has been organized as part of the initiative to develop 'Agra beyond Taj' and the 'Heritage Arc of Uttar Pradesh. Around 80 people, including Arjuna Awardee Deepa Malik, will participate in this Rally to be flagged off from Lion Safari, Etawah on January 31.
The two-day event will witness participants embarking on a 350-450 km rally which will be flagged off by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Top biker CS Santosh, who became the First Indian to finish the Dakar Rally recently, and Gaurav Gill, a two-time Asia Pacific champion, will be the chief guest during the rally which will conclude in the 'City of Taj - Agra'.
Shashank Vikram, Managing Director and Special Secretary, UP Tourism said: "In an effort to promote the Heritage Arc of Uttar Pradesh, we are organising the Rally. It is a Time, Speed and Distance competition conducted through the various locales of Uttar Pradesh that seeks to create greater awareness on the unexplored terrains of the 'The Land of Taj." The two-day rally will explore the Sangam of Yamuna and Chambal rivers on the first day. On the second day, the rally will enable the participants to unravel the charms of Uttar Pradesh's hinterlands around the famed Chambal Valley, Jararand Brara amongst others.
