SCR on fast track, plan to be ready in a year

Lucknow: The development of State Capital Region (SCR) plan, modelled on the lines of Delhi-NCR, will be completed in a year with a budget of Rs 71 crore.

The implementation of the plan will span over the next five years.

The SCR will cover six districts — Lucknow, Barabanki, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, and Rae Bareli. The World Bank will extend technical support to this initiative, drawing from global best practices.

The proposed SCR will encompass a total area of 26,700 sq km, aiming to promote integrated development across the region. The plan focuses on strengthening high-speed inter-district connectivity , upgrading infrastructure, and promoting balanced growth.

Enhanced transport networks such as expressways, ring roads, rapid rail, and the completion of missing road links will be key components. These efforts are expected to improve mobility, boost industrial and commercial growth, and create new employment opportunities.

A committee meeting chaired by Keshav Varma, chairman of the high-level committee overseeing SCR, was held at the Parijat auditorium of the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) on Friday, where a detailed presentation on the SCR plan was made.

Key officials present included principal secretary, housing and urban planning, P Guru Prasad, principal secretary, urban development, Amrit Abhijat, divisional commissioner Roshan Jacob, LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar, director, housing board, Ravi Jain, chief town planner KK Gautam, representatives from the World Bank, urban planners, and engineers.

Consulting consortium comprising AECOM India Pvt Ltd and Aegis India Consulting Engineers Pvt Ltd has been selected to prepare the GIS-based regional master plan.

LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar said that the consultants would prepare the plan in one year and identify project components aligned with the plan over the next five years. They will also be responsible for preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) and overseeing on-ground implementation.

The World Bank team, present at the meeting, assured knowledge sharing from successful global models where similar regional planning was carried out. They also emphasised the inclusion of cultural and heritage conservation within the SCR development framework.

Officials said that while the city was already relatively developed, the SCR project would ensure parallel development in surrounding districts. This would reduce migration to the capital for jobs, education, healthcare, and business.

As urban amenities extend to semi-urban and rural areas, residents will benefit from improved local infrastructure, better living conditions, and enhanced livelihood opportunities.