Akhilesh govt pitches in for IT investment region between Kannauj and Kanpur

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While UPECL has been given the task to select consultant, undertake techno-feasibility study as required under the ITIR guidelines of the Centre, getting clearances for the project, acquiring such huge land and starting the project by next year seems to be a difficult proposition.

The IT city project in Lucknow — though a comparatively smaller project over 100 acres — has received Special Economic Zone status only recently, after months of persuasion. “We are hopeful of its success. Because of its proximity to National Highway 91, which is GT Road and the Lucknow-Agra expressway, it will be easy to connect to Noida, Delhi and central UP,” said a senior officer.

“Under the existing scheme of the Union government, while acquiring land is the state’s responsibility, development of major infrastructure — like connectivity to NH, construction of a new airport if required and even viability gap funding, will be undertaken by the Centre,” he added.

Sources said the state has decided to convert one of its four proposed smart city sites, to come up along the under-construction expressway, into the ITIR region.

The four proposed sites are Firozabad, Agra, Unnao and between Kanpur and Kannauj. Land belonging to 21 villages — 18 km from Kannauj city and 40 km from Kanpur — has been set aside for the ITIR project. The UPECL has been asked to conduct a feasibility study, which will be sent to the Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology for approval.