LUCKNOW: The UP housing department is considering the establishment of four new housing development authorities to facilitate planned development in Naimisharanya (Sitapur), Deoria, Farrukhabad, and Barabanki.
Barabanki is experiencing organic growth due to its closeness to Lucknow, while Naimisharanya has been strategically selected for its religious significance. Both Deoria and Farrukhabad have also witnessed heightened real estate activity and development, both in urban cores and surrounding areas.
Once a housing development authority is created, construction activities will adhere to standardized bylaws, enhancing infrastructure. Currently, building plans are approved by the relevant urban local bodies or gram panchayats.
A senior official mentioned, “The approval process for residential and commercial projects by urban and rural local bodies is often cursory, which hampers proper infrastructure development. Furthermore, approvals are done offline.” The establishment of an authority would reshape city layouts and landscapes, providing designated areas for residential, commercial, and green space, along with improved road networks to meet future local needs.
With new building bylaws in place, the map approval process will be conducted transparently through an online system across the four cities. Principal Secretary of the housing department, P Guruprasad, stated, “We are currently reviewing proposals for new authorities, and a final decision will be made after thorough evaluation.”
Plans to establish a housing development authority in Barabanki were initially proposed in August 2023. However, due to Barabanki’s inclusion in the state capital region, the initiative was paused. In April, the necessity for a dedicated authority in the neighboring district arose to oversee development within urban boundaries.
“Operationalizing the authority that would manage the state capital region will take several years. With rapid urbanization occurring in Barabanki, particularly along the national highways connecting Lucknow and Ayodhya, there’s a pressing need to prevent unplanned development,” added a senior housing department officer.
