Yamuna Expressway.......

I challenge myself.  Write an interesting blog featuring the Yamuna Expressway!

This is the highway connecting Delhi to Agra that we travelled last weekend on our way to the Taj Mahal.

I suspect it is India's newest expressway having just opened in August of this year.

 It shortens the trip between the two cities to about 2 hours 55 minutes.  I believe it used to take over four hours.

The project was built by Jaypee, a construction company that is BIG in India.  (We even saw their university on the way to Shimla.)

The Expressway starts at Noida, a new city just south of Delhi.

Jaypee has a huge development there called Jaypee Greens Sports City.  It includes a large stadium for sports like cricket as well as the Buddh International Circuit which hosts the Formula One Indian Grand Prix.

Of course this expressway has a toll as all privately built roads do.  Compared to other tolls we have paid (maybe 45 rupees for a return trip), this was very high--510 rupees for a return trip if you go the entire way!

There are five toll booths along the way--one for each access point.

It is a beautiful highway but it misses all the villages and action that make India so vibrant.

We saw kilometre after kilometre of farmland.  Occasionally, there were people working in the fields--and most of the hot, backbreaking work was being done with little or no equipment.

 Imagine the equipment that was used to build this highway made of concrete.  But where are the vehicles?  This is India filled with people but no one seems to be using this route.

I read an article that said they expected 100,000 vehicles per day to use this route.  It doesn't look like that is yet the case.

 This straight, six-lane road could be a speedway but the speed limit is 100 kph and the signs frequently warn you about the CCTV cameras that are watching you.  Fines will be levied at the next toll booth if you exceed.

Harbans was very careful to stay at 100--and everyone else went whizzing by us.

On the trip to Agra, I got my first chance to sit in the front seat.  So, camera in hand, I was ready to get some great photos of interesting things.

Nothing!

My travelling companions took advantage of the lull to rest up for the day ahead.  I was desperate to get some photos.

 Fortunately, Harbans stayed awake!  If our vehicle had cruise control, he, too, could have taken a nap.

The most excitement happened at rest stops that are located after each toll booth.

On the way to Agra, George went in to buy four bottles of water.  He came out with four veggie burgers!!  Something got lost in the translation.

On the way back, we pulled in so Harbans could cool down with a face wash.  I, in the back seat now, went to use the facilities.  Harbans came back to the car,  hurriedly jumped in so as not to waste anyone's time, and started to drive away.

I came out of the building to see a van, looking very much like ours, backing up from the highway.

Photo op - a grove of banana trees!

Many road signs; few people to read them.

You may recall, Shah Jahan used the Yamuna River for his trips from Delhi to Agra back in the 1600s.  He probably didn't see many people along the way either.

They thanked us for using the Expressway and it did save time for sure.  And, we did "visit" again a few hours later on our way back to Delhi.

As we arrived in Agra, we finally saw the action that is India.

Some of it caused inaction on our part as did this truck doing a manoeuvre in the middle of a busy street.

Always on the lookout for scenes like this.  I am sure this is good for the posture but marvel at the strength and balance needed.

Of course, this was our destination that day.

We made it!

What a site--and the Taj Mahal looks good, too!