NOIDA: The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) is set to develop residential and commercial clusters in the Heritage City project at Raya, close to Mathura-Vrindavan, rather than a private developer as initially planned. The project will adopt a public-private partnership (PPP) model to enhance religious, cultural, and tourism infrastructure within the ₹7,200-crore hub of the Braj pilgrim circuit.
The project, situated in the proposed Raya Urban Centre, will span 753 acres and feature a heritage-themed township, a 30 km Yamuna riverfront, and a 100-foot statue of Lord Krishna at its center. Additional proposals include wellness and yoga centers, hotels, convention spaces, artisan markets, and cultural parks inspired by Lord Krishna’s Braj legacy.
Initially focused on being developed like a Film City by a single developer over a 10-year period, a hybrid model has been introduced following financial and operational evaluations. These reviews indicated challenges in cost recovery under a fully PPP-based approach, especially since the Authority needs to acquire the land.
“Some changes have been made to the Heritage City plan. The Authority will handle part of the development, while other components will proceed via the PPP model. The proposal, consultant’s assessment report, and revised alignment for an expressway connecting Heritage City to Vrindavan will be discussed at the Authority’s board meeting in November,” stated CEO RK Singh.
The alignment of a proposed 7 km expressway connecting the Heritage City site to the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan has been adjusted from a curved to a straight path to avoid flood-prone areas. This revision comes after waterlogging and flooding occurred in parts of the project area following heavy rains this monsoon. YEIDA has instructed consultant CBRE South Asia Pvt Ltd, responsible for the detailed project report (DPR), to conduct a flood-impact and risk assessment prior to finalizing the alignment.
