Haryana Revives Panchgram Project to Build Five Greenfield Cities Along KMP Expressway
Haryana has revived the Panchgram Project to develop five greenfield cities along the KMP Expressway, modelled on Singapore and backed by major transit plans.
The Haryana government has revived the Panchgram Project, an initiative to develop five new greenfield cities near Delhi as a way to ease population pressure and traffic congestion in the National Capital Region.
The cities will be spread across nearly 2.5 lakh hectares, extending two to six kilometres along both sides of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway, which will serve as the development axis for the project.
According to estimates, close to Rs 20 lakh crore will be needed to meet the NCR's future housing, transport and civic infrastructure requirements.
Planned Amenities
The new cities are to feature smart drainage systems, underground utility networks, modern waste management, planned urban development, greenery and public spaces. Officials say the planning is being carried out with the projected population of 2041 and future requirements in mind.
A Project First Conceived in 2018
The Panchgram Project was originally conceived in 2018 under then chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar. At the time, it envisaged five new cities spread across eight districts: Sonepat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Rewari, Mewat, Faridabad and Palwal.
In June, the current administration led by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini began the process of setting up the Panchgram Development Authority for the project.
Connectivity Plans
Several transit links are planned to connect the new cities with Delhi and the wider NCR. The metro networks of Delhi, Gurugram and Faridabad are to be extended to these cities in the future, and there are plans to link them to key areas of Delhi and the NCR through the high-speed Namo Bharat corridor.
The 135-km KMP Expressway is expected to provide fast connectivity, while a proposed 35.25-km metro corridor between Gurugram and Panchgaon would have 28 stations.
Singapore Model, Industrial Townships
Industries and Commerce Minister Rao Narbir Singh said the corridor will be developed on the Singapore model, with the aim of turning the region into a hub of modern urbanisation and industrial expansion. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini briefed the NCR Planning Board meeting about the project, and a high-level Haryana government delegation is set to visit Singapore soon.
Separately, the state has set a target of developing 10 new Industrial Model Townships (IMTs) by 2030. Approval has already been granted for five IMTs, and three of the new ones will be directly connected to the KMP corridor.