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Defence gives green signal for Army land transfer for Green Corridor project: LDA VC
The Ministry of Defence has approved Army land transfer, allowing the LDA to proceed with its Green Corridor project, enhancing Lucknow's connectivity.
: A major roadblock delaying the Lucknow Development Authority’s (LDA) ambitious Green Corridor project has received the green signal after the Ministry of Defence approved the transfer of Army land required for constructing the approach road to the proposed rail overbridge (ROB) near Dilkusha Kothi. The approval is expected to accelerate work on the project, which aims to provide faster and seamless connectivity between Shaheed Path and eastern parts of the city.
The approval came during a high-level meeting held in New Delhi, where senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, LDA vice chairman Prathamesh Kumar and other officials discussed the pending proposal.
Following the clearance, the LDA will acquire nearly 0.80 hectares of Defence land by paying ₹8.53 crore to the Ministry of Defence soon after the documentation and other formalities get completed.
The 700-metre stretch connecting the Cantt area with the Green Corridor has been named the VIP Spur by the LDA. It will connect to Dilkusha Kothi. The LDA has set December as the deadline for completing the stretch. Once constructed, the route will ease traffic for commuters and facilitate smoother VIP movement to the airport, eliminating the need to travel through Arjunganj and other congested areas.
The Defence officials gave oral consent for the required land during the meeting, while the formalities for the transfer are likely to be completed in the coming days following which the work would begin, confirmed LDA vice chairman Prathamesh Kumar, who attended the meeting on Wednesday.
Officials said the pending transfer of Defence land had become one of the biggest obstacles slowing the Green Corridor project. The authority could not begin construction of the approach road because the proposed stretch passed through Army land. As a result, work on a crucial segment of the corridor remained stalled for several months.
The proposed approach road will connect the Green Corridor with the railway overbridge near Dilkusha Kothi, creating a continuous traffic link for commuters travelling from Shaheed Path towards Somnath locality and Lalbatti crossing. Once operational, motorists will be able to bypass traffic bottlenecks and railway crossings, reducing travel time and easing congestion on surrounding roads.
Senior LDA officials said vice chairman Prathamesh Kumar personally pursued the matter with senior Defence officials after the proposal remained pending for a long period. His intervention helped secure the approval, paving the way for the land acquisition and resumption of construction activities.
The Green Corridor is among the LDA’s flagship infrastructure projects aimed at connecting IIM Road to Kisan Path via Shaheed Path. It is designed to create a seamless north-to-south connectivity across Lucknow while diverting heavy traffic away from residential and commercial hubs. Officials believe the latest approval will help speed up construction of the pending stretch and keep the project on track.
The authority will now initiate the financial and administrative formalities for transferring the land and begin construction of the approach road. Officials said completing this missing link is crucial for ensuring uninterrupted movement along the Green Corridor and delivering the project’s intended benefits to thousands of daily commuters who travel between Shaheed Path, Dilkusha, Somnath locality and Lalbatti crossing.
