Housing projects launched in Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday launched the foundation-laying and plot registration process for the Lucknow Development Authority's Varun Vihar and Naimish Nagar housing schemes, spread over 10,680 acres and involving an estimated investment of Rs 12,000 crore.
He also laid the foundation stone for five proposed multi-storey apartment projects, estimated to cost Rs 2,166 crore, at an event in Lucknow.
Addressing the gathering, Adityanath said the two housing projects would provide planned residential facilities to lakhs of people while helping expand Lucknow in an organised manner. “Unplanned development often creates problems. People buy land at different places, but there is no electricity or water supply, sewerage or other facilities. Waterlogging can also force people to live in difficult conditions,” he said.
According to Adityanath, the Varun Vihar scheme will be developed over more than 6,500 acres and is expected to provide residential facilities to more than six lakh people. The Naimish Nagar scheme will cover around 4,100 acres and is expected to benefit more than four lakh people, he said. “Naimisharanya is a symbol of our heritage. According to our tradition, 88,000 sages undertook penance and preserved India's knowledge heritage there thousands of years ago,” he said. Adityanath assured farmers whose land would be acquired for the projects that they would receive proper compensation. “There will be no middlemen between the LDA and the farmers. No brokerage will be allowed,” he said. Referring to the compensation paid to farmers, he cited examples of beneficiaries who, he said, received compensation ranging from around Rs 1.96 crore to Rs 3.13 crore and subsequently purchased land elsewhere or invested their money. The chief minister cited the Tata automobile plant and Ashok Leyland's electric vehicle manufacturing facility as examples of Lucknow's expanding industrial base.
Adityanath also highlighted the expansion of the airport and metro, construction of the Kisan Path and Green Corridor, and improved road connectivity around the state capital.
He said the Government was working towards developing Lucknow not merely as a city or district but as a State Capital Region (SCR), with Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi, Sitapur, Barabanki and Rae Bareli linked through planned regional development.
Referring to defence manufacturing, Adityanath said Lucknow was now also emerging as a centre for production of the BrahMos missile. “Earlier, people used to associate Lucknow with country-made pistols and bombs, but now BrahMos missiles are being manufactured here,” he said.
