Agra: Members of the River Connect Campaign submitted a memorandum to Divisional Commissioner Ritu Maheshwari, urging the development of a city forest on the railway land at Gadha Pada Malgodam to make the city pollution-free.

The memorandum, addressed to the Chairperson of the Taj Trapezium Zone Authority and the Divisional Commissioner of Agra, highlighted the concerns of environmental enthusiasts in Agra regarding the construction of a mega residential complex by a private builder on the railway land located in the heart of the city. The members emphasized the potentially severe consequences of this project and proposed the development of a city forest as a green lung for the area.

Read in Hindi: रेलवे भूमि की नीलामी के बजाय ‘सिटी फॉरेस्ट’ बनाने की मांग

The memorandum stated, "We strongly oppose the decision to auction a large portion of railway land in the Belanganj Gadha Pada Malgodam area, which has been vacant for fifty years since the yard was shifted to Yamuna Bridge Station. Instead of auctioning this land for colonial purposes, we demand that it be transformed into a public park or sports stadium. This will provide much-needed greenery to the highly polluted city of Agra and create a recreational space for residents."

Convener of River Connect Campaign Brij Khandelwal expressed concerns that the auction of this land would increase congestion, pollution, and pressure on already limited resources in the city. He stressed the importance of creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly space that benefits the community.

The memorandum also called for an Environmental Impact Assessment study before the construction of the mega project, a feasibility study by the Agra Development Authority's planning department, a traffic mobility study, and an assessment of sewer line and drainage arrangements. The impact on population density and the current traffic situation on Yamuna Kinara Road and Jiwani Mandi intersection to Motilal Nehru Road were also highlighted as critical areas for study.

The River Connect Campaign members urged the Taj Trapezium Zone Authority to thoroughly investigate various aspects before approving the project. The memorandum was signed by Dr Devashish Bhattacharya, Mahant Nandan Shrotriya, Jugal Shrotriya, Nidhi Pathak, Shahatosh Gautam, Dilip Jain, Shashikant Upadhyay, Jyoti Khandelwal, Vishal Jha, and the entire River Connect Campaign team.