Jharkhand govt to purchase 441 acre land for Ranchi smart city

RANCHI: Jharkhand government is gearing up to develop Ranchi as a smart city despite a proposal in this regard being kept in abeyance by the union ministry for urban development. Having scored a below 50% score (44.04%) in the contest for smart cities organized by the union ministry, Ranchi has been placed in the list of cities to be developed on a fast track now.

Chief secretary Rajbala Verma on Monday directed officials of state urban development department to place a proposal before the cabinet to seek its approval for purchasing land and going ahead with the smart city project on its own.

Department officials informed the CS that 441 acre land has been earmarked in HEC area for which government has to pay Rs.485 Cr to HEC and purchase the land. Clarifying government's stand to go ahead with the project after buying land Verma asked to speed up the processes. She also asked the officials to start identification of land for construction of flyover in Ranchi.

Once the area is identified, the government would start the process of land acquisition by paying compensation to people wherever private land is being acquired. The department has been directed to seek administrative and financial approval for construction of Ravindra Bhavan and strengthening of infrastructure for urban local bodies.