New Road from Delhi to the Taj Mahal

May 5, 2012 - PRLog -- Travellers who have made the rather gruelling journey by road through towns and villages along this route with their chaotic traffic of motorcycles, rickshaws, tuk-tuks, cows and camels, pedestrians, carts, lorries and buses all seemingly intent on self-destruction, will be heartened by the prospect of a smooth concrete road surface and fast-flowing traffic of 100kmph on this new 6-lane highway, and a journey time cut in half to around 2 hours.  As well as the usual bridges, interchanges and service stations there will also be 68 cart track crossings and underpasses for the local farmers. There will be tolls along the road which will be in place for 26 years.

It will also be a vital link in the route down to Mumbai and markets in the south of India. At the moment around 30,000 vehicles per day use the old NH2 road between Delhi and Agra, but this is set to rise to 100,000 once the new road is opened and becomes the busiest road in India - its builders are already foreseeing the need to expand it to 8 lanes.

ReadyClickAndGo’s director, Selina Jackson, points out that Indian Railways might also feel the effects of the Yamuna Expressway. “Our clients booking private day trips from Delhi to Agra often choose to travel by train, and the popular and prestigious Shatabdi Express trains have offered our clients a comfortable and reliable 2-hour journey, but the new motorway is now a serious business rival”. Selina forecasts that bookings by road will increase as travelling by car on the new road will now offer clients flexibility and independence within a much shorter time-frame.

Travellers who have limited time in Delhi can take advantage of either the fast train or the fast road to Agra to get there and back comfortably in one day to admire the Taj Mahal, its architectural forerunner the 'baby taj' and the impressive Agra Fort on a private day trip organised by ReadyClickAndGo. A door-to-door full-day tour from Delhi to Agra and back with private air-conditioned car, driver, English-speaking guide and entrance fees is £115 per person by road and £140 by train, and there is the option to go one way by train and return by car visiting the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri or Bharatpur National Park en-route for £135. (All prices based on 2 persons.) Other private day trips and shore excursions with car, driver and guide in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad and Calcutta are available on their website, and all can be customised to the travellers' requirements.