Lucknow’s expansion towards the Agra Expressway is set to get an economic push, with the state government approving the LDA’s 1,035-acre Vashishtha Nagar scheme that will combine housing with industrial, logistics, commercial and MSME clusters. The project is planned as more than a residential extension, with dedicated spaces for businesses and industries aimed at creating jobs and attracting new enterprises.
A key component of the scheme is the allocation of 50 acres to the MSME department for developing a cluster of micro, small and medium enterprises, officials said. The land will be used under the Centre’s Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Employment and Industrial Area Scheme to facilitate the establishment of MSMEs and support startups, entrepreneurship, skill development and employment.
LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar said Vashishtha Nagar would be developed as an important economic extension of the city. With the proposal approved, the LDA will now begin the process of assembling land through consent from landowners and other permissible mechanisms.
The proposed scheme covers land in Rewari, Bhalia, Gehlwara, Adampur Indwara, Bahru and Jaliyamau villages. The LDA estimates that around ₹1,328 crore will be required for land assembly.
Beyond a housing scheme
The project is part of the larger 6,580-acre Varun Vihar residential scheme being developed along the Agra Expressway under the Chief Minister’s Urban Expansion Scheme. Vashishtha Nagar has been planned to add an economic dimension to this expansion by integrating housing with industrial and commercial activity.
The LDA plans dedicated zones for industry, warehousing, logistics, commerce and other economic activities. The proposed arrangement is intended to provide businesses with organised spaces instead of scattered operations across the existing city.
The development will have connectivity to the Agra Expressway, Mohan Road, Link Expressway and Varun Vihar, providing access to multiple transport corridors.
According to the LDA, the connectivity could make the area suitable for warehousing, transportation, supply-chain operations and MSME manufacturing. The project is also expected to support the Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region’s (UPSCR) objective of linking Lucknow with regional and national economic networks.
