Farmers' fields become a neighbourhood: work starts on Anand Kashi, VDA's first township since 1994

Work has begun at Kallipur on Anand Kashi, the Varanasi Development Authority's first integrated gated city in roughly three decades — the authority has not laid out a township on this scale since Lalpur in 1994. Phase one covers about 4.56 lakh square metres. Inside it are 1,004 residential plots in four sizes — 72, 162, 200 and 288 square metres — along with 108 commercial plots, three group-housing plots, and land set aside for a school, a health facility, a community centre and utilities. Internal roads are planned at 24, 18, 12 and 9 metres, with water, sewerage, electricity and drainage laid before the plots change hands. The greenery is written into the plan rather than left over from it. At least fifteen per cent of the area stays green, spread across eighteen patches, and there is a Miyawaki forest of about 3.71 acres. The central park runs to roughly two hectares and is to carry a Nataraja sculpture, an amphitheatre and a children's play area. The quieter detail is how the land was gathered. Instead of compulsory acquisition, landowners in Kallipur and Madhni contributed around 45 acres under a pooling arrangement and get developed plots back in return — farmers as partners in the layout rather than people moved off it. RERA registration is expected by the end of August.

Compiled by HelloBanaras from public sources: ANI · Asianet Newsable