Centre picks Zaheerabad as smart city

Hyderabad: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the development of 12 industrial smart cities across 10 states, including Telangana. The industrially growing Zaheerabad would be developed as one of the 12 industrial smart cities. The estimated total cost of the 12 industrial smart cities is Rs 28,602 crore, and is likely to generate 9.39 lakh direct jobs and 30 lakh indirect jobs.

Announcing this after the Union Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said this would turn India into a global manufacturing power house. Industrial nodes will be set up along the golden quadrilateral highway making it look like a ‘grand necklace of Industrial Smart Cities’.

“The focus would be on integrated development, sustainable infrastructure, and seamless connectivity, these projects are set to redefine India's industrial landscape and drive the nation's economic growth for years to come,” he said. The National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) will provide developed land parcels ready for immediate allotment, making it easier for domestic and international investors to set up manufacturing units in India.

This decision would give a major boost for Zaheerabad to attract large-scale investments in the manufacturing sector. The Zaheerabad Node is a 12,635.14-acre industrial project in Sangareddy district which was already part of the Hyderabad Nagpur Industrial Corridor (HNIC).

The project spread across 17 villages in the Nyalkal and Jharasangam Mandals, and is located 19 kilometres from the Zaheerabad railway station. The first phase of the Zaheerabad Node is planned to be developed over 3,909 acres, and the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Government of India has approved the project.

The new industrial cities would be developed as Greenfield smart cities of global standards on the ‘plug-n-play’ and ‘walk-to-work’ concepts. This approach ensures that the cities are equipped with advanced infrastructure that supports sustainable and efficient industrial operations.

Officials said that the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (TGSIIDC) would hold talks with the central counterparts and envisage plans to promote Zaheerabad as a destination for industrial development in the future.