JPNIC project handed over to LDA, panel for its management dissolved by UP govt
The centre, a dream project of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, was announced in 2013 when he was the chief minister. The work on the project came to a halt after the BJP came to power in 2017. In recent years, Akhilesh Yadav has held demonstrations on several occasions outside the centre and even attempted to enter it, demanding the completion of the project.
The Cabinet on Thursday also dissolved the society set up by the previous SP government for the management of the centre.
The government claimed that the decision was taken to ensure 'transparent, efficient, and public-oriented utilisation of the project'.
'The LDA will now oversee the completion, operation, and maintenance of the centre. The LDA has been granted full authority to run the project through private participation, define operational procedures and terms, terminate the society's memberships, and carry out other related tasks,' an official said.
As part of the decision, the Rs 821.74 crore released by the state government so far for the project will be treated as a loan transferred to the LDA, which it will have to repay in over 30 years.
'This arrangement ensures financial sustainability in managing and operating the project, while making the facility available for public use,' the official added.
The JPNIC project, when announced, aimed to envision the development of a 'modern, world-class centre' in Lucknow.
Spread over 18.6 acres, the project included a state-level auditorium, a convention centre, a world-class sports complex, and multi-purpose sports courts. The centre was set to have a multi-level parking facility for 750 four-wheelers. All the amenities were planned to be open to the public.
After coming to power in 2017, the BJP government ordered a probe into alleged irregularities in the project and halted its construction.
A CAG report reportedly revealed serious violations such as work awarded without tenders and unexplained cost escalations. Despite spending over Rs 860 crore, the project remained incomplete, the government alleged.
According to the BJP government, after the project was announced by the then SP government in 2013, the LDA had pegged the construction cost for the centre at Rs 421.93 crore. The expenditure cost committee then reduced the estimate to Rs 265.58 crore. However, the projected cost was increased to Rs 615.44 crore in 2015 and to Rs 757.68 crore the same year, the BJP government stated. The cost was revised third time in 2016 to Rs 821.74 crore, it added.
The LDA has now been authorised to bring in private partners for project operations under a revenue-sharing or lease model through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process.
'This will not only ensure the completion of remaining work but also provide for long-term maintenance and operation without additional government expenditure. The model is designed to make the project self-sustaining and beneficial to the public,' the official said.
The centre will now be operated by the LDA following the model of the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan. 'It is expected to emerge as a major cultural, sports, and convention hub not just for Lucknow but for all of Uttar Pradesh. This effort marks a constructive step in reviving the project and putting it to use,' the official said.
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