Defence land deal to unlock key infra projects in Varanasi

Varanasi: In a major push for urban infrastructure development, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) has approved the exchange of over 227.5 bigha (57.6 hectares) of land with the Defence Estate and the Railways to facilitate public amenities, traffic management projects and parking facilities across the city. The proposal has already received clearance from both the VMC executive committee and the House.The land swap is expected to help address Varanasi’s growing traffic congestion and strengthen civic infrastructure by enabling the corporation to utilise strategically located parcels of land currently under the Defence Estate and Railway departments.Under the proposal, the VMC seeks to acquire the Goodshed Bazaar area in Cantonment (1.2286 hectares), land beneath the Fulwaria flyover (3.8121 hectares), land at Domri and Sujabad (19.669 hectares), and the remaining 34.259 hectares out of the 160-acre Cantonment land, excluding the portion under Railway possession.In return, the corporation will transfer land of equivalent value to the Railways, including a 2,830-square-metre plot at Mauza-Ghausabad, 2,029.30 square metres of land on Manduadih Road, and around 4,100 square metres of land behind Golden Peacock at Goodshed Bazaar.Officials said the exchange will enable the corporation to undertake key development works on land currently owned by the Defence Estate and Railways, while ensuring that the concerned departments receive land of equal value in return.Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal has also written to the Defence Estate Officer in Prayagraj regarding the proposal. The letter states that the land exchange will remove longstanding administrative ambiguities over land ownership and eliminate hurdles in implementing integrated urban development projects.Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari said the land exchange was crucial for the city’s overall development and infrastructure expansion. “This process will not only remove administrative obstacles but also provide a long-term solution to traffic congestion and deficiencies in public amenities, significantly transforming the city’s urban landscape,” he said.