NCR to get four ‘Namo Cities’ under Regional Plan 2041

The National Capital Region (NCR) is set to get four new greenfield urban centres, to be known as “Namo Cities”, under the proposed Regional Plan 2041, in a move aimed at decentralising growth and easing pressure on Delhi and its surrounding urban clusters.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) chaired by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, and representatives from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan attended the meeting.

According to the plan, the Centre will allocate ₹5,000 crore for the development of the four cities over the next five years. States will be required to submit proposals, and the final cities will be selected through a challenge-based process. Each participating state is expected to propose potential locations for consideration.

Officials said the initiative forms a key component of Regional Plan 2041, which seeks to prepare the NCR for rapid urbanisation in the coming decades. Projections discussed during the meeting indicate that the region's urban population could rise to around 57 per cent by 2031 and nearly 67 per cent by 2041.

The proposed cities are expected to function as integrated urban centres with housing, employment opportunities, public transport networks and social infrastructure. The broader objective is to create new growth hubs across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, reducing the concentration of economic activity around Delhi.

Union Minister Manohar Lal said the cities would be developed along major transport corridors and transit nodes, including routes connected to the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). The name “Namo Cities” is reportedly inspired by the Namo Bharat train network that is being expanded across the NCR.

The proposal is part of a wider vision outlined in Regional Plan 2041, which also focuses on improving regional connectivity, promoting decentralised development and ensuring more balanced distribution of population and infrastructure. Earlier drafts of the plan had proposed new townships and a “30-minute NCR” concept aimed at significantly reducing travel times between major urban centres through high-speed transit networks.

The final Regional Plan 2041 is expected to be formally approved in the coming months after consultations with NCR states and stakeholders.