Stalled for years, JPNIC given to LDA for completion & operation
As per the new decision, the JPNIC Society formed under the previous Samajwadi Party govt, will be dissolved.
Under JPNIC Society, the project remained stalled for years amid allegations of corruption.
The cabinet approved handing over the incomplete centre to LDA, which will now take charge of completing the remaining construction and running the facility through private participation. The LDA has been authorised to manage the project using revenue-sharing or lease models under a Request for Proposal (RFP) process, ensuring transparent and financially sustainable operations.
"The Rs 821.7 crore released for the project so far was converted into a transferred loan to be repaid over 30 years," said a senior official in the govt following the decision.
Initiated in 2013, the JPNIC project aimed at creating a world-class convention and sports centre in the city. However, alleged irregularities—highlighted in a CAG report—such as awarding contracts without tenders and inflated costs, brought the project to a standstill.
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After assuming office in 2017, the govt launched an investigation and halted the work. Now restructured under LDA's supervision, the centre is planned to house a state-level auditorium, a modern convention centre, a world-class sports complex with multipurpose courts, and a multi-level parking facility for 750 vehicles.
"It will be developed along the lines of the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, another key public facility in the city," said the official.
An LDA official said that the decision is expected to convert the incomplete and controversial project into a cultural and recreational hub, benefiting the people of the city and Uttar Pradesh.
"With a focus on transparency, efficiency, and public utility, the move marks a turnaround in a project that remained inactive for nearly eight years," he added.
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