- By Shri Brij Khandelwal
2025.10.06 (Vrindavan Today News): In Agra, the daily commute has been redefined as an extreme sport. After the rains, the city’s roads transform into a chaotic obstacle course, a perverse free adventure zone courtesy of systemic failure. Potholes are not mere inconveniences; they range from harmless bumps to gaping chasms seemingly designed to swallow vehicles whole. Motorcyclists perform involuntary stunts, car drivers surrender to fate, and pedestrians navigate a treacherous landscape of jumps and prayers. Even tourists, drawn by the majesty of the Taj Mahal, often find their focus shifting from the monument’s beauty to the urban mayhem.
This reality is more than a mere nuisance; it is a symptom of a profound decay. The recent monsoon, which pushed the Yamuna River to the Taj Mahal’s very foundations, was not just a natural event. It was a stark, waterlogged warning. The floods exposed the wounded core of a city that should be India’s crown jewel, but is instead collapsing under the weight of neglect, corruption, and institutional apathy.
A Cycle of Warnings and Empty Promises
Satellite imagery prior to the floods clearly showed the problem: silt and debris choking the Yamuna’s flow around bridges and ghats. For locals, this was a predictable tragedy. The official response, however, was predictably hollow—a familiar cycle of promises and makeshift arrangements. As the waters receded, Agra’s other chronic ailments resurfaced with a vengeance. Streets were pockmarked with pond-sized potholes, footpaths crumbled into dust, and garbage mounds stood as ugly monuments to civic irresponsibility.
The government announced grand campaigns, vowing to make thousands of kilometers of roads pothole-free. Meetings were convened, deadlines were set, and funds were allocated. Yet, on the ground, the story remains unchanged. Repairs, when they occur, are so shoddy that a single shower washes them away. In some areas, roads have caved in completely, serving as literal sinkholes of administrative incompetence.
The Human and Economic Cost
This crisis is measured in more than just frustration; it is counted in lives lost. In 2022 alone, pothole-related accidents claimed over 1,800 lives across India, with Uttar Pradesh tragically leading the nation. From 2014 to 2022, the state saw an average of three people die every day due to dangerous roads. “Potholes and uneven roads have made daily commuting a dangerous mission,” notes social activist Chaturbhuj Tiwari.
The economic toll is equally severe. Agra’s lifeblood is tourism. In 2024, the city welcomed over 8 million visitors, generating revenues exceeding ₹2,000 crore. Yet, this economic engine is being sabotaged by its own infrastructure. Visitors’ wonder is too often replaced by disillusionment, not because the Taj Mahal has lost its splendor, but because the journey to it is blighted by traffic snarls, garbage, and broken roads. “Tourists come here seeking marvel, but return disheartened, as if the city is orphaned by its own caretakers,” observes Dr. Devashish Bhattacharya, a social activist. This sentiment is echoed in Smart City Project reports, which link miserable living conditions to declining investor confidence and stagnating growth.
Systemic Failures and Misplaced Priorities
The problem is multifaceted. Rampant encroachment has shrunk major roads, strangling traffic flow. Meanwhile, the municipal corporation’s priorities appear skewed; reports indicate that crores were spent on decorative plaques over three and a half years—funds that could have paved miles of road. While creative initiatives like turning scrap into art are commendable, they are no substitute for the fundamental duty of providing safe, basic infrastructure.
The core issue is a betrayal of public trust. Where do the funds for roads and drainage truly go? The rapid deterioration of new infrastructure points to collusion and the rampant use of substandard materials. This is not a story unique to Agra, but it is especially damning for a city of its global stature.
A Call for Redemption
When a city tasked with protecting a World Heritage site becomes a case study in neglect, it is a national humiliation. The erosion of public trust, however, is giving rise to a new wave of citizen activism. Lawyers, activists, and ordinary residents are raising their voices, demanding accountability. “Excuses have run out—now we need action,” asserts advocate Rahul Raj.
The path forward requires more than rhetoric or photo opportunities. It demands honesty, political will, and a collaborative effort between government, citizens, and the private sector. Agra must be rebuilt, starting with its foundations—its roads. Tourists should carry memories of architectural marvels, not tales of accidental adventure. The city must ensure its roads are dignified, secure pathways through a heritage city, not the risky obstacle courses they are today.
Without urgent and genuine action, the Taj Mahal will continue to shine, a beautiful monument in a broken city. Its marble will glow in the moonlight, while the city around it remains trapped in the shadows of neglect, its promise buried under a mountain of unfulfilled assurances.
Shri Brij Khandelwal is a senior journalist from Agra. He was associated with different prominent news agencies. He taught journalism at Agra University for the Central Hindi Institute’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication for over three decades. He is a senior member of ‘Vrindavan Today’s editorial board’.
