Lucknow: Entrepreneurs and businessmen seeking land on the outskirts of Lucknow will soon have access to it, as the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has secured approval from the Ministry of Environment to proceed with construction of the integrated manufacturing and logistics cluster (IMLC) proposed in two villages of Unnao.
Project Overview
The project, spanning 135 hectares, will be developed with a budget of approximately Rs 450 crore and is expected to generate employment opportunities for 19,000 people. Of the total land, 75 hectares will be allocated for developing plots, 24 hectares for a green belt, and the remaining area for roads, basic infrastructure, and other amenities to enhance production capacity.
Environmental Clearance Process
Having actively pursued the matter for a year, UPEIDA made its final presentation before the state-level environment impact assessment authority on March 13. A key condition is that one-third of the total layout will always be maintained as green space.
Strategic Location and Connectivity
Situated along the Ganga Expressway, land has already been acquired from farmers and residents at Murtajanagar and Saraikatiyan villages. A senior officer noted, "Sonik railway station is 5 km away from the IMLC, and the nearest inland container depot is about 150 km away in Kanpur. Two highways are also situated in proximity to the site. Connectivity would help in attracting big investors."
Industrial Development Mandate
To promote industrialization along expressways, the state government has mandated UPEIDA to develop areas in villages and towns along the expressways into industrial plots and clusters, creating employment for the local population. In a scattered manner, 27 IMLCs will be established along the five operational expressways and upcoming ones.
UPEIDA will target not only defence equipment manufacturing, research and development, and technology generation but also existing industries looking to expand, sunrise sectors such as semiconductors, electric vehicles, green hydrogen, and players in handlooms, textiles, electronics manufacturing, defence and aerospace, civil aviation, warehousing, and agro-food processing.
