State Capital Region for Lucknow to get Cabinet nod soon

Lucknow, Sep 4

The proposal for the creation of a State Capital Region (SCR) to achieve integrated development of Lucknow and nearby towns, is all set to get Cabinet approval this month.

The housing department has begun preparing a formal proposal for early action on creation of SCR and it will be sent to the state Cabinet for approval very soon.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has already cleared the concept note on SCR on the pattern of the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) is likely to be made the nodal body to execute the ambitious project.

Preparations are also on to constitute two major committees on SCR.

According to the government spokesman, there will be a high powered committee chaired by the chief secretary, which will include additional chief secretaries/principal secretaries of all the departments concerned.

The other executive committee, which is set to be constituted under the chairmanship of the additional chief secretary/principal secretary (housing and urban planning) will include the divisional commissioners of Lucknow, Kanpur and Ayodhya divisions, the district magistrates of all the districts concerned, vice-chairmen of the respective development authorities and other experts.

Principal secretary (housing and urban planning development) Nitin Ramesh Gokran said, "The chief minister has approved the concept note on formation of Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region to ensure balanced, inclusive and sustainable urban development in and around the city of Lucknow. Now, we are formulating a formal proposal in this regard."

Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to prepare a proposal for the SCR in such a way that Lucknow and its surrounding districts like Unnao, Sitapur, Rae Bareli, Barabanki, Kanpur Nagar and Kanpur Dehat could be included in the SCR keeping demands for the next 50 years in mind.

The UP SCR, according to another official, aims to find solutions to challenges like pressure on infrastructure due to increasing population as well as unplanned and lopsided development of areas in and around Lucknow with world-class facilities.

The SCR, he claimed, would be a unique example of inter-district planning and development.

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) has welcomed the UP government's move on the State Capital Region formation.

"This a very development-oriented and bold move which will put an end to illegal and haphazard development of Lucknow and ensure a holistic development of the capital city and the satellite towns," CREDAI state president Shobhit Mohan Das said.