en.Wedoany.com Reported - India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved environmental clearance for a proposed greenfield industrial city in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh, a project that will drive industrialization in the Bundelkhand region of the state.
Led by the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) under the BIDA Master Plan-2045, the project involves an investment of ₹1.51 trillion and spans 253.33 square kilometers (62,599.20 acres), covering 33 villages in Jhansi Tehsil. The project is expected to transform the Bundelkhand region into a major industrial hub and create employment opportunities for over 560,000 people.
The project underwent a comprehensive environmental assessment in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification of 2006. The ministry's Expert Appraisal Committee first reviewed the proposal on June 30, 2025, and granted preliminary approval on July 20, 2025. As part of the statutory process, a public hearing was held on December 22, 2025, in Jhansi, presided over by the Additional District Magistrate, with the hearing notice published in major newspapers on November 20, 2025. Reports indicate that local residents expressed broad support for the project during the consultation process.
The Expert Appraisal Committee reviewed environmental safeguards, technical parameters, and project modifications during meetings on March 5, 2026, and April 9-10, 2026. After determining that the proposal met the required standards, the committee recommended granting environmental clearance. Officials stated that the Master Plan-2045 emphasizes sustainable development, with nearly 25% of the total area designated as green space. The project adopts a zero liquid discharge framework and includes a tree-planting plan aligned with the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign.
The approval of environmental clearance marks a key milestone for one of Uttar Pradesh's largest planned industrial development projects, expected to accelerate investment and infrastructure growth in the Bundelkhand region. Based on recommendations from the Ministry of Environment and the Expert Appraisal Committee, the revised master plan land use allocation includes: industrial area covering 83.66 square kilometers (33.02%) for sectors such as agriculture and food processing, textiles, defense equipment, electronics, data centers, and electric vehicles; residential and housing area covering 37.40 square kilometers (16.90%), with an additional 5.40 square kilometers for existing rural settlements; green and recreational area covering 63.13 square kilometers (24.92%); and transportation and logistics allocation of 29.30 square kilometers (11.56%). Additionally, there are commercial uses (3.92 square kilometers), mixed-use areas (13.02 square kilometers), and institutional land.
The project will feature a 50-meter-wide green belt along its boundaries and a 150-meter-wide green belt around the Dongri Dam, along with large-scale tree planting through the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign. Urban drinking water demand (217.22 MLD) will be met by the Rajghat Dam, with treated water used for other purposes. BIDA will construct a 163.26 MLD sewage treatment plant and a 150.88 MLD common effluent treatment plant in phases. Treated water will be reused, and no wastewater will be discharged into the Betwa, Pahuj, or Angauri rivers. BIDA has acquired a total of 25,706 acres of land, providing compensation to landowners at transparent rates as per the provisions of the 2013 Act. Local rural settlements will be integrated with the BIDA city, offering modern parks, health centers, educational institutions, and skill development centers.
BIDA CEO Sanjay Kumar Khatri stated that obtaining environmental clearance marks a new chapter in the development history of Bundelkhand. In line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision, BIDA will be developed into one of the country's most modern, sustainable, and environmentally friendly industrial smart cities. He emphasized that while ensuring full compliance with all conditions of the environmental clearance, the project will put Bundelkhand on the global manufacturing map, improve the living standards of local residents, and play a significant role in realizing the vision of a self-reliant India and a developed India.
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