Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) Clears 150-Acre Urban Township Project Near Ganjari Cricket Stadium
The Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) has approved the city's first planned urban township to be developed near the upcoming international cricket stadium in Ganjari. The township project, spread over 150 acres, received the green light during the VDA’s 133rd board meeting held on Monday evening.
The proposal marks a significant step in the urban expansion of Varanasi. The township will be the first of its kind in the area, integrating planned residential zones with proximity to a major sports infrastructure project. The meeting, presided over by divisional commissioner and VDA chairman S Rajalingam, was also attended by vice chairman Pulkit Garg, district magistrate Satyendra Kumar, and other senior officials and board members.
During the meeting, VDA secretary Ved Prakash Mishra presented the compliance report of decisions taken in earlier meetings, the progress report for the financial year 2024–25, and a set of new development proposals. No other major township plans were introduced in this session.
The selected location for the township lies in the vicinity of the international cricket stadium that is currently under construction. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the stadium on September 23, 2023. The project is being developed on 30.66 acres of land at a cost of ₹451 crore. Once completed, the stadium will have a seating capacity of 30,000 and is expected to host its first international cricket match in 2026.
The upcoming township is expected to leverage the presence of this major sports facility and improve livability in the surrounding areas. Its development is seen as a move to facilitate structured growth and planned urbanization, rather than unregulated expansion.
As part of its internal operational upgrades, VDA also inaugurated a new record room during the board meeting. Built at a cost of ₹36 lakh, the facility will be able to store approximately 80,000 files. With this addition, the total file storage capacity at VDA has now increased to 2,55,266. Files dating up to 2005 have already been scanned and preserved digitally. Records from 2005 onward will be barcoded or scanned and stored securely in the new facility, which has been equipped with modern storage systems.
Additionally, the VDA also rolled out its new Citizen App and Complaint Management System. The mobile platform allows residents to register complaints in a few simple steps and is accessible at any time. Officials believe that this step will enhance transparency and enable faster grievance redressal.
Among other approvals granted in the board meeting was a proposal to construct a main access road connecting the Transport Nagar Scheme to National Highway-2 (NH-2). The board selected RITES Ltd as the expert agency for the project. RITES will be responsible for preparing the detailed project report (DPR), managing design and drawing work, and handling project management and quality supervision for VDA’s infrastructure projects.
The board also approved amendments to the Building Construction and Development Bylaws-2008. These changes align with the Government of India’s Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment scheme for the fiscal year 2024–25. The amendments aim to support the efficient execution of infrastructure projects and urban development initiatives.