UP has extensive land bank for industries: UPSIDA CEO Mayur Maheshwari

UPSIDA CEO Mayur Maheshwari spoke about plans to help industries

As several investments come to Uttar Pradesh (UP), the demand for industrial plots is rising. The Global Investors Summit, held in Lucknow last year, fetched investments worth more than Rs 40 trillion. The state government is expanding existing industrial areas and creating new ones. Sector-specific industrial parks are also being set up. Mayur Maheshwari, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UP State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA), in an interview with Siddharth Kalhans in Lucknow spoke about plans to help industries. Edited excerpts:

 

UP has signed agreements worth more than Rs 40 trillion. Does it have enough land to set up industries?

 

 

UP has an extensive land bank managed by various industrial authorities, positioning the state well to accommodate a wide range of investors, who have signed MoUs totalling over Rs 40 trillion. Together, these authorities manage a total land bank exceeding 1 lakh acres, with thousands of industrial plots across different zones. UPSIDA alone holds approximately 50 per cent of this total land bank, ensuring ample availab­ility to meet the state’s industrial demand effectively.

 

Simultaneously, we are working to expand our land bank and streamline policies to minimise administrative hurdles, ensuring that land acquis­ition is not a barrier.

 

What is the land bank position in the state at present?

 

Currently, the land bank situation is highly favourable, with abundant availability for potential investors. UPSIDA, for instance, has more 

 

than 50,000 acres allocated to ensuring land accessibility for new investments. Some of our key flagship projects include Trans Ganga City in Unnao, Saraswati Hi-Tech City in Prayagraj, Mega Food Park in Baheri, Bareilly, IMC Agra, Ittar Park in Kannauj, and Plastic Park in Dibiyapur. These projects showcase our major land banks and offer substantial investment opportunities.

 

Collectively, our industrial land reserve across UP spans approxim­ately 60,000 acres, covering 155 different industrial clusters spread across 55 districts. UPSIDA stands out as the primary authority managing this vast land bank, actively fostering job creation and economic advance­ment throughout the state.

 

What steps are being taken to increase land bank in the state?

 

UPSIDA has taken significant steps to expand its land bank for our investors. Recognising that land is a limited resource, we acquire and develop new areas cautiously to create dedicated industrial clusters. We also purchase private land, adhering to policies that ensure fair compensation and maximise benefits for farmers. Given that UP is largely an agrarian state, our focus has been on transforming barren areas, turning them into hubs of employment and economic activity. More than 10,000 acres of land is in pipeline for acquisition, with assistance from district administrations.

 

To further maximise usage, we have increased the FSI (floor space index) in our industrial regions, allowing for enhanced vertical development. We’ve also introduced flatted factories, enabling plug-and-play units. Additionally, we implem­ented a subdivision policy to support investor expansion, particularly in high-demand regions like Delhi-National Capital Region, within the same land.

 

We are actively working to acquire new land banks across the state to ensure that land availability never becomes a barrier to new investm­ents. Having said that, we are in the process of bringing new schemes in districts such as Hathras, Pilibhit, Hardoi, Prayagraj, Barabanki, Lucknow, and Raebareli. At the same time, we are also acquiring and repurp­osing several state-owned yarn mills, which were previously shut down, to further expand our land bank.

 

What is the strategy to utilise lands lying with closed units and those where industrial units have not been set up years after allotment?

 

UPSIDA has a buyback policy to allow closed unit to sell land so that such land becomes available for upcoming industries. Also there’s a policy under which cancellation of plots happens if units were not set up within a given time period.

 

Industrial estates in UP need more amenities and infrastructure. What steps have been taken on that front?

 

With time-to-time supervision, modern amenities are being provided to industrial areas, keeping comprehensive development in mind. These include proper water supply, efficient drainage systems, and advanced electricity supply, incorporating solar energy. Additionally, safety standards 

 

are being prioritised with the establishment of fire stations. Installation of CCTV systems is progressing steadily, and efforts are being focused on setting up an integrated manufacturing cluster. UPSIDA is developing industrial parks with all kinds of modern amenities. Furthermore, establish­ment of industrial corridors is being realised. Periodic monitoring and improvements are being ensured through formation of dedicated teams to enhance facilities in industrial areas.

 

UPSIDA has significantly improved industrial areas by enhancing both social and utility infrastructure. This includes the establishment of creches, Prerna Canteens, skill development centres, and pick-and-drop facilities for employees. Upgrades to utilities and infrastructure features streetlights, high mast lights, modern facilities like CFC buildings, and pink dormit­ories. Safety measures include CCTV surveillance and public address systems. Green parks, pink and community toilets, trucker bays, and citizen facilitation centres contribute to a cleaner, safer, and more eco-friendly environment, making the industrial areas more attractive for investment.