The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) has approved the development of four brand-new greenfield smart cities, designated as "Namo Cities," at a combined investment of Rs 5,000 crore over the next five years — a landmark decision aimed at easing the immense infrastructural pressure on Delhi and decentralising urban growth across the region.
The Competitive Selection Model
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal announced that the four cities — one each in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan — will be selected through a competitive challenge process rather than traditional bureaucratic allocation. Each state must submit three detailed project proposals, from which one will be chosen.
"The Centre will release Rs 5,000 crore for these cities. States will now have to submit their detailed project proposals, and the final four locations will be selected through a challenge process," Lal said. The cities will be developed along transport nodes, including the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) network, and their name aligns with the Namo Bharat trains.
Why This Matters
The National Capital Region is projected to absorb massive migration over the next two decades. Delhi, already one of the world most congested urban agglomerations, cannot handle this growth alone. The Namo cities are designed as magnet cities — self-contained urban centres with their own economic ecosystems — that can reduce dependence on Delhi as the region primary growth centre.
Rajasthan Urban Development Minister has suggested Alwar and Bharatpur as strong contenders given their strategic location along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are expected to propose cities along the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors.
Regional Plan 2041
The approval came during an NCRPB meeting that also moved closer to finalising the NCR Regional Plan-2041. While the plan was not formally approved, officials said broad consensus had been reached on most issues, with the final version expected within two months. The meeting was attended by Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, and senior ministers from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Sources: Indian Express, Republic World, The Tribune, PTI
