The proposed Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) near the airport in Hisar is facing significant delays due to sluggish procedural progress, despite the availability of nearly 3,000 acres of encumbrance-free government land. The project, being developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) as part of the Amritsar–Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC), is envisioned as a transformative industrial smart city aimed at reshaping the economic landscape of western Haryana.
Project Background and Significance
The IMC-Hisar is among 12 industrial smart cities planned under the ambitious AKIC programme across India. It was conceived as a major manufacturing, logistics, and advanced industrial hub designed to attract large-scale domestic and global investment. Its significance has grown as Hisar emerges as an aerospace and advanced manufacturing hub, particularly with the developing ecosystem around Maharaja Agrasen Airport. Sectors such as aerospace, defence-linked manufacturing, and advanced engineering are highly sensitive to ecosystem readiness, logistics connectivity, and implementation certainty, making execution timelines critical.
Land Advantage and Procedural Hurdles
Unlike many other industrial corridor projects in the country, IMC-Hisar began with a significant advantage: nearly 2,988 acres of encumbrance-free government land had already been transferred by the state government. Land acquisition is often one of the biggest bottlenecks in industrial corridor development nationwide. However, despite this initial advantage, procedural progress has remained slow. The appointment of consultants is still under process, and the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) tender, which marks the beginning of physical infrastructure work, has yet to be floated.
Government sources indicated that the slow pace is evident when compared with other corridor-linked projects, such as the IMC at Rajpura, where EPC-level execution has already advanced, strengthening investor confidence. The sluggish on-ground execution, despite strong initial structural advantages, is a matter of concern.
Investor Confidence and Competitive Environment
Industry experts maintain that in the current competitive investment environment, execution speed is as critical as policy intent. States are aggressively competing for manufacturing investments amid global supply chain diversification under the "China Plus One" strategy. A senior industrial policy analyst observed that investment decisions are increasingly driven by execution certainty. Investors evaluate not just incentives but also infrastructure readiness and administrative speed. Prolonged procedural delays reduce execution credibility and push investments toward faster-moving destinations.
Concerns are also being raised in regional industrial circles about potential investment diversion, including the proposed trainer aircraft manufacturing initiative associated with Shakti Aircraft Industries. Experts noted that sectors like aerospace and advanced engineering are particularly sensitive to ecosystem readiness and implementation certainty.
State Government Response
The state government has maintained that the project remains a priority. In a high-level review meeting held on April 15, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi reviewed the progress of the IMC-Hisar project and directed all concerned departments to ensure timely and expedited implementation of decisions related to the project. The meeting reiterated that the NICDC-backed project under AKIC will play a key role in attracting investment to Haryana and generating large-scale employment opportunities.
Potential and Industry Expectations
IMC-Hisar is seen as a growth engine with the potential to span manufacturing, MSMEs, logistics, warehousing, aviation-linked activity, and urban infrastructure development, due to its strategic location and improving connectivity through highways, rail, and aviation infrastructure. Hisar Industries Association president Devender Jain said the project has the potential to accelerate growth in the western region of the state and transform it into a next-generation manufacturing and aerospace hub. He added that the association had met state authorities about six months ago, conveying significant growth potential and demanding smaller industrial plot sizes to support wider participation in industrial development.
