The Uttar Pradesh government has commenced work on preparing master plans for tier II towns with populations between 50,000 and 1 lakh, as part of a push for planned development. A total of 93 towns have been identified across the state to be covered under this scheme, and a geographical information system (GIS)-based master plan will be prepared for each.
First Step Towards Long-Term Development
As a first step towards long-term planned development, the master plan will provide details of land usage and important future projects to all government agencies and stakeholders interested in undertaking projects in these towns. A budget of Rs 45 crore to Rs 50 crore has been earmarked to engage private agencies that will compile the master plans.
Gradual Expansion to All Urban Local Bodies
Officials from the housing and urban planning department are considering preparing master plans for all 762 urban local bodies in a gradual manner. A senior officer from the housing department explained, 'Within regulated areas, building bylaws must be followed, and construction activity is regulated to discourage haphazard and unplanned development. However, we lack a mechanism for penal action or demolition within urban local bodies that fall outside the jurisdiction of regulating authorities such as the Lucknow Development Authority, Kanpur Development Authority, Prayagraj Development Authority, and others.'
Amrut Scheme Phase 2
Under phase 1 of the Amrut scheme, GIS master plans have already been prepared to promote planned development in 59 cities with populations exceeding 1 lakh. The tier II towns will be covered under the second phase of this central scheme. A survey by the towns and country planning department revealed that out of the 93 towns covered by urban local bodies, only 44 are under a regulatory authority, while the remaining 49 lack any regulatory body to monitor construction work.
Districts to Benefit
A total of 49 districts will benefit from this exercise, including Bareli, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Kannauj, Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat, Etawah, Auraiya, Jalaun, Jhansi, Balrampur, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Barabanki, and Amethi, among others. In the Lucknow division, tier II towns in Lakhimpur Khiri, Hardoi, and Sitapur will be covered, including Paliya Kalan, Gola Gorakhnath, Mohammadi, Sandila, Bangarmau, Laharpur, and Biswan, among others.
