Delhi-NCR plans Tokyo-like growth: 8 towns proposed

Published 11 June 2026 · local

Eight new townships could reshape the NCR map Inspired by a smart city built from scratch Live Events The idea behind a ‘30-minute NCR’ Connectivity

Eight new townships could reshape the NCR map Inspired by a smart city built from scratch Live Events The idea behind a ‘30-minute NCR’ Connectivity through superfast trains within 30 minutes Around one-hour regional access through conventional rail systems Road travel targets of two to three hours Exploration of heli-taxi services for regional movement Existing state plans may become part of the larger vision A Rs 20 lakh crore challenge ahead as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Addas a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Delhi-NCR board is preparing for bigger cities, shorter commutes. A draft Regional Plan 2041, to be tabled before the Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) next week, has proposed up to eight new townships across the region. It’s also aimed for a transport network that can make major NCR cities near Delhi accessible in about 30 minutes. The proposal comes as planners prepare for rapid population growth and mounting pressure on housing, infrastructure and mobility. The plan provides a long-term blueprint to extend the growth beyond the national capital, with predictions that Delhi-NCR could eclipse Tokyo as the world’s most populous urban agglomeration by 2030.A big idea in the draft is the development of five to eight new greenfield townships across NCR.

These proposed settlements will be in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan and are likely to develop around economic activity and transport corridors.“Exploration of possibilities of establishing 5-8 new greenfield townships is proposed, based on productive economic impulses in UP, Haryana and Rajasthan sub regions. All new settlements, including brown-field, shall have modern smart civic amenities infrastructure like those developed in Auric of DMICDC,” the plan has proposed.Alongside creating entirely new urban centres, the draft also supports brownfield redevelopment of existing settlements to reduce pressure on Delhi.The idea of these future townships is from Auric - Aurangabad Industrial City in Maharashtra. Auric is a greenfield industrial smart city under the Delhi – Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and spread over about 10,000 acres. The model relies on planned infrastructure, integrated services and organised urban growth. The proposed future NCR settlements should be self-contained centres with residential, commercial and civic facilities and not extensions dependent on Delhi. The draft also suggests creation of such growth nodes in a transit-oriented manner along motorways, orbital rail corridors and other major transport routes.Perhaps the most eye-catching proposal in the plan is its transport ambition.