In a significant move to facilitate the expansion of the new Vidhan Bhavan complex in Sitabuldi, Nagpur's municipal commissioner, Abhijeet Chaudhari, has approved a key modification to the city's revised development plan (DP). The decision, made under Section 37 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966, aims to resolve technical constraints posed by the existing land layout.
Details of the Land Use Modification
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) proposed to reclassify a specific parking reservation and a section of an adjoining road in Mouza-Sitabuldi. The land in question is survey number 283 (city survey no. 1855/1), which includes a 0.1296-hectare plot reserved for parking (reservation no. w-55). This plot is currently vacant and owned by the NMC, as per revenue records.
In addition to the parking plot, an area of approximately 1,530 square meters falling within an adjoining 18-meter-wide road is also part of the proposal. This brings the total area under the proposed modification to around 2,826 square meters. Civic officials clarified that the existing reservation and road alignment were creating technical hurdles for the planned expansion of the new Vidhan Bhavan. To overcome this, the land use for both the reserved plot and the road section is now proposed to be changed to a public/semi-public zone.
Approval Process and Public Consultation
The modification followed an administrative approval granted through Resolution no. 81/NMC/Administrator dated December 3, 2025. Following this, Commissioner Chaudhari formally cleared the proposal. As the designated planning authority for Nagpur, the NMC has displayed the modified part of the development plan for public inspection at the office of the deputy director, town planning department, located in the Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Administrative Building in Civil Lines.
Citizens now have a window of 30 days from the date of the notice's publication in the official gazette to submit written suggestions and objections. The municipal commissioner will hear these objections before the proposal is forwarded to the state government for final approval.
Impact on the Zero Mile Development Project
This move, however, comes with a trade-off for another iconic city project. The NMC's ambitious plan to develop the Zero Mile area is set to face delays and alterations. This is because a prime triangular plot of 2,033 square meters in Mouza Sitabuldi, originally earmarked for the Zero Mile project, has been handed over to the Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat for the Vidhan Bhavan expansion.
As compensation, the NMC will receive 938.91 square meters of land from the government printing press premises and a monetary compensation of around Rs 7 crore for the shortfall. Despite this, the civic body's broader vision for the Zero Mile precinct will be impacted and is expected to be delayed due to this land transfer.
