Uttar Pradesh: Agra awaits much touted Leather Park for 15 years

The much touted Leather Park in Agra was announced by the then Chief Minister Mayawati in 2008 but has not been completed yet owing to environmental concerns.

Agra: Agra, renowned for the majestic Taj Mahal and delectable Petha sweets, has now found itself in the limelight for its thriving shoe industry. With about five lakh people directly and indirectly associated with the shoe business, this trade has a significant impact on the city's economy. However, the livelihood of such a huge populace seems to be at stake as the highly trumpeted leather park in the city remains elusive for the last one and half decade.

The proposed Agra leather park was announced way back in the year 2008 by the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati. While a sprawling piece of land spanning 283 acres in Agra was earmarked for a Leather Park project, with an initial budget of Rs 350 crore, the project has not moved beyond paperwork much to the agony of the stakeholders.

The foundation for this ambitious project was laid, and construction work began in earnest. However, in 2013, the Leather Park faced a roadblock owing to environmental concerns with the matter now pending in the Supreme Court. As for the land for the project, it has been utilized for farming leaving the shoe industry workers high and dry.

Agra is considered as the epicenter of the shoe industry in Uttar Pradesh, boasting approximately seven thousand small and large shoe business units that provide employment to around five lakh individuals. The district has a staggering 65 percent share in the country's shoe business, despite the national shoe export share being only 28 percent.

The domestic shoe industry in Agra alone generates approximately Rs 15,000 crores in revenue as per officials. However, the delay in the long overdue Leather Park is hurting the shoe business. Puran Dawar, President of the Footwear Manufacturers Association of Agra (FMAC), emphasized the need for the Leather Park in Agra saying that it is crucial for the city's shoe business.

The completion of the Leather Park project would provide Agra's shoe traders with a much-needed platform, Dawar said. Recently, Mayur Maheshwari, CEO of the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA), visited Agra, where he engaged with local shoe businessmen regarding the Leather Park project.

During these discussions, he gave encouraging signals, providing a ray of hope to Agra's shoe traders that progress on the Leather Park may finally commence. Agra is located in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ), and many of the challenges hindering the Leather Park's development have been addressed. Maheshwari said that despite COVID-19 causing delays in legal proceedings, UPSIDA has applied for an early hearing in the Supreme Court.

“Moreover, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Government of India, has expressed a positive outlook on the matter. Consequently, it is expected that a hearing date will soon be scheduled in the Supreme Court, potentially bringing Agra's Leather Park one step closer to reality,” the CEO of UPSIDA added.