Uttar Pradesh Now Has Asia’s First Cycle Highway. Here’s All You Need To Know

In a proud moment for the state, Uttar Pradesh now boasts of having developed India’s – or rather Asia’s – first cycle highway. 

In a first-of-its-kind project, the 207-km-long cycle highway which runs between Etawah and Agra was declared open on Saturday. 

Here’s all you need to know:

• The 207-km long, seven feet wide highway between Etawah and Agra is dedicated for cycles.
• Starting from the lion safari in Etawah, the highway covers 92 villages, and important historical and tourist spots such as Raja Bhoj ki Haveli, Bateshwarnath Temple, Mela Kothi Jarar, Naugava ka Quila and rural areas to reach the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal in Agra.
• The Akhilesh Yadav government has spent Rs 133.78 crore over it. As per reports, he got the inspiration from his experiences in cities like Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris
• As per this CNN report, such cycle highways are gaining popularity across the world but the idea has been around for over a century. Such an elevated cycleway was mooted for connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena in the US as early as 1896

This highway is the latest in the young CM’s plans to make cycle much more than just an election symbol of the Samajwadi Party. Earlier this year, he announced that Lucknow would get the biggest cycle track network in India.