Agra, Dec 26 (IANS): Just over a fortnight after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the construction of Phase-1 of the Agra Metro project via video conferencing, the team of civil engineers deployed to carry out the ongoing activity said construction work was progressing at a rapid pace under the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC).

The team has already put 15 'piles' under the primary corridor on the Fatehabad road that leads to the Taj Mahal. 'Piles' are constructed by digging the ground and then providing reinforcement to it. These are the foundations for the whole metro structure. Along with piling, the utility (diversion of water pipes and electric wires) inside the ground is also in progress.

Kumar Keshav, MD, UPMRC said: "Metro construction work in Agra is progressing at a good pace. The metro team is constantly striving to raise resources and deploy them. The second rig machine has arrived and will be operational soon. With an efficient and effective strategy, the civil construction work is moving forward, I am confident that we will complete the project within the stipulated time."

Under the Agra metro project, two corridors will be constructed. The first corridor will be built from Sikandra to Taj East Gate and the second from Agra Cantt to Kalindi Vihar.

Under the first corridor, a section of about 6 km between Taj East Gate to Jama Masjid has been identified.

At present, the civil construction of a 3-km-long elevated corridor is being carried out between the Taj East Gate to Basai along with the metro train depot in a section of the land that has been taken from the 15th Battalion of the PAC.

The state government has already announced that the Agra metro project will be operational by 2024. The first corridor is set to begin operations in 2022.