Uttar Pradesh

• 24 Jan 2022

Agra Master Plan-2031

Why in News

• Recently the 'Agra Master Plan – 2031' has been made public by the Agra Development Authority. In this the proposal of Taj Heritage area from Taj Mahal and Mahtab Bagh to Rambagh has been included. Under this, many new rules have been made.

Key Points

• For the first time in Agra Master Plan-2031, the authority has constituted the Taj Heritage Area, in which three rules have been included. Apart from the Taj, no construction will be allowed within 100 meters from the monuments in the Taj Heritage Area, which extends on both sides of the Yamuna till Rambagh.
• Under the rule, buildings with one storey or 3.75 meters high and two storeys i.e. more than 7.50 meters will not be allowed on the approval of the Archeological Department from 100 to 300 meters, i.e. between Taj to Rambagh, two storeys high on both sides. Buildings cannot be built. With this, malls, apartments, multi-storey buildings will not be constructed on the banks of Yamuna.
• The authority has made the order of the Supreme Court a part of the master plan, under which no construction can be done within 500 meters of the Taj Mahal. After this, not more than one storey building will be built from 500 meters to 750 meters and two-storey buildings from 750 meters to one kilometer away. There shall be no such constructions, towers and reconstructions which would impair the view of the Taj's background from the southern gate platform.
• Industrial units operating in residential areas of the proposed Taj Heritage Area on either side of the Yamuna river from Taj to Rambagh will be shifted. Industrial units including chain factories are running on the banks of river Yamuna in the colonies near Balkeshwar, Katra Wazir Khan, Rambagh.
• In the Agra Master Plan-2031, the units operating in the entire Taj Heritage area will be shifted to the industrial areas proposed in the master plan. Along with this, it is also proposed to take out the wholesale markets running in the city. Parking and other services will be provided on the vacant land of the mandis which will be shifted out of the city and only retail shops will be developed.

Banaras is the Third Most Polluted City in the Country

Why in News

• According to the list of top-10 polluted cities across the country released on January 22, 2022, Banaras was the third most polluted city in the country. Nine cities of the state are included in the list of top ten polluted cities.

Key Points

• Jaunpur was the second most polluted city in the country. The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Jaunpur was recorded at 325 and that of Banaras was recorded at 282. While Jaunpur is at number two, Banaras is third.
• According to the data released by IQAir, Banaras is in the Orange Zone with 282 AQI. The most polluted areas in the city were from Balabhadra Colony, Ramnagar, Saket Nagar, Jangambari, Nati Tamarind Road, Fish Market and Lanka.
• The top ten polluted cities are- 1. Ghatampur-333, 2. Jaunpur-325, 3. Varanasi-282, 4. Sitapur-264, 5. Madiyahun-258, 6. Unnao-236, 7. Nanpara-227, 8. Patna-222, 9. Akbarpur-219, 10. Kanpur-204