The Punjab government has amended the Jalandhar Master Plan to reclassify nearly 200 acres in Mehli village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar from residential to industrial zone, following representations from local industrialists and the completion of the statutory public consultation process.
The Jalandhar Master Plan, prepared for the 2009–2031 period and notified on August 23, 2010, had designated Mehli village as a residential zone where industrial activity was not permitted. The latest amendment revises the land use for nearly 200 acres to facilitate industrial development.
Last week, the department of housing and urban development issued a notification stating that the amendment had been carried out under Section 70(5) of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995. The revised land use comes into force with immediate effect.
According to the notification, industrialists from Mehli village submitted representations to the office of the chief town planner in July 2023 and October 2025, seeking a change in land use to allow industrial development.
Before approving the amendment, the department invited objections and suggestions from the public through a 30-day notice published in leading newspapers on March 20 this year. No objections or suggestions were received during the consultation period.
{{/usCountry}}Before approving the amendment, the department invited objections and suggestions from the public through a 30-day notice published in leading newspapers on March 20 this year. No objections or suggestions were received during the consultation period.
{{/usCountry}}The proposal was subsequently examined by a think tank committee headed by the SBS Nagar deputy commissioner on May 8. The committee recommended converting the land into an industrial zone, subject to the creation of a 15-metre-wide buffer strip of broad-leaf trees between the proposed 60-foot road and the industrial area to mitigate environmental impact.
The recommendations were later placed before the Punjab regional and town planning and development board at its 46th meeting, where the proposal was approved. The government has now officially notified the partial amendment to the master plan, incorporating the recommended safeguards.
Under the Jalandhar Master Plan, the department of town and country planning had earmarked nearly 59,277 acres for residential development and about 19,300 acres for industrial use. In addition, around 1,378 acres was designated as a mixed land-use zone, permitting a combination of industrial and commercial activities. Jalandhar, the state’s third-largest city after Ludhiana and Amritsar, is a major manufacturing hub known for producing hand tools, sports goods, textiles, rubber products and leather goods.