Student Corner

 

Agra In 2012: My Dreams And How It Will Come True

(Third Prize Winning Entry In 'My Clean Agra' Essay Contest) 

I am very proud, indeed, to be a resident of Agra, known as the “City of the Taj”. Agra is the heart and soul of the Indian Tourism Industry, because of its historical importance and numerous wonders of magnificent architecture. The seventh wonder of the world, the Taj Mahal, stands proudly on the banks of the River Yamuna.

Millions of tourists come to visit the Taj from distant places and are wonder-struck on admiring its beauty. The other monuments Agra is famous for Fatehpur Sikri, Sikandra Fort, Agra Fort, Etmad-ud-daula and many other architectural wonders. Agra is also known for its flourishing shoe-industry.

Unfortunately, our city in present time is in a dismal condition, in-spite of being a city of supreme importance. The Agra of my dreams would be clean and shining, free from pollution, corruption and encroachments with congestion-free roads and with uninterrupted power supply. Agra as I see it in 2012 would be self-sufficient and would have enough avenues for growth, so that youngsters like us do not have to flee from this place to pursue higher education and to born new skills and activities.

The Agra of my dreams can become a reality if all sections of society, the State Government and also the Central Government work hand in hand. The first and foremost thing the city of my dreams needs is cleanliness and hygiene. How I wish sometimes that all residents of Agra should have the “OCD-Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”, which my mother has. She needs her surroundings to be absolutely clean and spotless and she always wants everything in order. She can even work till the middle of the night, to set everything in complete order. I feel if everyone has this spirit, our city would certainly be clean and sparkling. The dream of a clean city is very difficult to achieve, but not impossible. Initiative should be taken to organize ‘cleanliness drives’ by all responsible citizens of Agra. Even schools and social organizations can help in achieving our dream of clean, hygienic surroundings.

The Agra of 2012 will have smooth and congestion free roads, for traffic to run smoothly. The roads will be free from water-logging, open manholes and garbage. Pedestrians will be able to walk without the fear of hit-and-run vehicles, water-logged and dirty roads and vehicles also will ply in an orderly manner. This dream can also become a reality, if proper measures are taken. The people should vote for capable candidates, who can do wonders for the roads and traffic. Traffic signals should be put up at all busy roads and traffic rules should be obeyed strictly.

The city of my dreams would have uninterrupted power supply, like many other metropolitan cities. For this, I would suggest privatization of electricity. In Agra, sometimes things simply refuse to work. All public works are started with great fanfare, but within no time, they become pictures of decay and failure. The Government and the concerned authorities should not sleep over the serious problems of encroachment of footpaths, thefts and chain-snatching cases, pitiable condition of roads and regular traffic-jams.

All the people of Agra have to be aware, but important our city is for the tourism industry. Tourists come from far and wide to visit our city, but it is very shameful, when they see the miserable condition of the city and poor maintenance of our most valuable cultural heritage. The Agra of my dreams will be free from all such problems and tourists will take a much better impression of Agra, when they will not be harassed by beggars, lapkas and tourist guides.

The future of this city is vary bright and the Agra 2012, can be self-sufficient and progressive in every respect. Voting for responsible and capable people, generous contributions for development purpose by the affluent class, general awareness of people, initiative to do something for the city and cooperation with the Government can make this dream come true.

This is not an impossible dream and this is not what I dream in isolation – it is the dream of many youngsters like me.

— Abhilasha Arora

XII (Commerce), Prelude Public School