The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has recommended conditional approval to cut 1,571 trees in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) for the doubling of the Agra-Bandikui railway line. The proposal includes planting 16,230 trees across 25 hectares, maintaining them for ten years, and fencing the plantation sites. The Supreme Court will hear the matter shortly. The TTZ covers 10,400 sq km around Agra and adjoining districts, established to protect the Taj Mahal. The CEC emphasized strict environmental safeguards and penalties for non-compliance to minimize ecological impact.Read more

The Municipal Corporation of Prayagraj (MCP) has announced that it will develop seven major parks as "Model Parks" under the Smart Cities Mission, with a budget of INR 5 crore. In the first phase, four parks each over one acre will be selected after a city-wide survey. Candidate sites include Naini, Shankusi, Phaphamau, Kalindipuram, Rajrooppur, Kydganj, and Tikonia Park near the Parade Ground. These parks are to feature walking tracks, open-air gyms, child-friendly play areas, seating for older adults, shade and ornamental plants, LED boards for traffic and cyber-safety awareness, and eco-friendly design. MCP also plans to revamp parks in housing-project areas under the Prayagraj Development Authority, including a 32-bigha park in Rajrooppur which has already been surveyed.Read more

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has approved a new sub-rule to simplify property name transfers. Instead of the previous percentage-based fees, fixed charges will now apply based on property value slabs. For example, properties valued up to INR 50 lakh will incur a flat fee of INR 5,000, significantly reducing costs for middle-class families. A 10% surcharge will apply if the transfer isn't completed within 90 days. The PMC will seek public feedback before finalizing the rule.Read more

Prayagraj has expanded its commercial development scope by including 42 major roads under the Master Plan 2031, allowing property owners to convert buildings into commercial spaces. The expansion goes beyond the earlier plan, which covered 29 roads, aiming to stimulate local business growth and employment. Key roads such as Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Tashkent Marg, and Katju Marg are now included. The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) will monitor compliance through surveys and enforcement of compounding rules. This step is expected to gradually convert residential stretches along major roads into active commercial corridors.Read more

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has intensified efforts to recover unpaid property taxes from defaulters, including more than 200 commercial establishments such as hotels, restaurants, and schools. These defaulters have avoided paying taxes for several years, leading to dues of nearly INR 40-50 crore. The PMC is planning property attachment actions to enforce payment and has set a collection target of INR 150 crore for the current financial year. Over INR 54 crore has already been collected from approximately one lakh property owners across the city.Read more

Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has launched a block-level property mapping and numbering initiative to streamline property identification and strengthen property tax collection. Each neighbourhood will be segmented into blocks of roughly 100 houses, with each ward hosting several blocks. A GIS survey is set to begin shortly, covering thousands of houses citywide. Previous attempts led to numbering of over 12,000 properties, and municipal records for new areas will be digitized by next year. This effort forms part of a broader smart-city upgrade involving traffic, water, sewer, energy systems and an enhanced command centre.Read more

Prayagraj has recently enforced new regulations making structural safety audits mandatory for all high-rise buildings exceeding 15 meters in height. Prompted by growing safety concerns and previous fire incidents, these structures will now require an initial audit ten years post-construction, followed by reviews every five years. Building owners, developers, or Resident Welfare Associations are responsible for promptly addressing any identified risks. Reconciliation may lead to authorities undertaking necessary repairs at the owners' expense, ensuring enhanced safety standards across the city.Read more

ITC Hotels Ltd has opened a new property in Prayagraj under its Welcomhotel brand, adding to its expanding portfolio in Uttar Pradesh. The newly launched 60-key hotel brings the company's total footprint in the state to seven operational properties, with six more under development. In a parallel development, TACC Ltd and the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) have formalised a partnership to innovate in next-generation construction materials using graphene-based additives.Read more

Prayagraj is set to witness the implementation of Uttar Pradesh's overhauled Bed & Breakfast (B&B) and Homestay Policy 2025, aiming to establish approximately 800 new registered homestay-cum-B&B units in the city. The initiative, overseen by the state's tourism department, intends to enhance accommodation infrastructure, especially around religious and tourist hotspots. It replaces the earlier paying guest model with a formalised framework that mandates safety features, owner occupancy, limited room capacity, and cultural engagement. The registration process is being eased for interested residents, with nominal registration fees, NOC-based approvals, and structured classification into Silver and Gold categories. The policy also carries wider implications for employment generation, women empowerment, and tourism-led economic growth in the region.Read more

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved new Building Construction and Development Byelaws 2025 for Prayagraj, removing the need for prior building plan approvals for houses on plots up to 100 square meters. This aims to simplify homebuilding for middle-class families, saving about INR 1.25 lakh in fees. The bylaws also introduce flexible building usage, allowing home-based shops and offices, and ease approvals for larger projects. While not applicable to restricted areas, the changes are expected to boost housing and retail activities, improving city revenue.Read more

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) is set to launch a unified billing system for property, water, and sewer taxes, expected to go live next week. This initiative aims to simplify the tax process for residents and reduce administrative burdens by consolidating separate bills into one. The system, aligning with state government guidelines, will integrate all necessary data and offer flexible online and offline payment options. This move is part of PMC's efforts to enhance transparency, citizen engagement, and operational efficiency, promising a streamlined approach to municipal tax collection.Read more

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) is preparing to launch a redevelopment initiative across 88 vacant and fenced plots located in localities such as Naini, Jhunsi, Phaphamau, Bamrauli, and Jhalwa. The plan involves constructing multi-storey buildings with commercial shops on the ground and first floors and residential flats above, aiming to boost the city's income while addressing the growing issue of illegal encroachments. Encroached municipal land especially in Kareli, Daraganj, Rasulabad and other densely populated areas is also set to be reclaimed. The civic body will soon present a detailed land inventory for formal approval before initiating construction and legal proceedings.Read more

The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) is offering 764 unsold affordable flats across 12 residential schemes in Prayagraj, targeting EWS, LIG, and 1BHK, 2BHK, and 3BHK buyers. Allotments will be made via a transparent lottery system. To boost accessibility, PDA has reduced prices by 10% across all categories. Key projects include Jagriti Vihar Awasiya Yojna, Mausam Vihar Apartment, Vasudha Vihar, Mangal Vihar, Sugam Vihar, Yamuna Vihar in Naini, Janhvi Apartment, Manas Vihar, Azad Apartment, Divine Apartment in Trivenipuram (4BHK), Saras Vihar in Jhunsi, and Govindpur luxury flats. PDA has published details on janhit.upda.in and www.pdaprayagraj.org, with helpline support available. This initiative aims to meet Prayagraj's growing housing demand while ensuring transparency and affordability in the home-buying process.Read more

Prayagraj Municipal Corporation launched QR code stickers to streamline and accelerate house and water tax collection throughout Sangam City. Starting with commercial properties and expanding zone-wise to residential areas, the initiative enables tax collectors to facilitate both online and offline payments through door-to-door visits. This digital advancement addresses previous inefficiencies caused by delayed payments and excuses related to online transfers. The system enables homeowners to pay house, water, and sewer taxes together. With over 177,000 properties identified, the corporation targets immediate recovery from 55,000 buildings, enhancing transparency, convenience, and revenue efficiency in municipal tax collection.Read more

The Prayagraj district administration has initiated stringent recovery actions against more than 2,000 beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) who received financial assistance but failed to construct their homes. The defaulters include 1,507 rural beneficiaries under PMAY-Gramin and 504 urban beneficiaries under PMAY-Urban. Notably, nearly 470 urban beneficiaries received financial aid almost six years ago but have yet to commence construction. The administration is preparing to issue Recovery Certificates (RCs) from the respective tehsils to reclaim the misused public funds.Read more

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has begun levying house tax on approximately 1.25 lakh residential buildings in newly incorporated areas like Naini, Jhunsi, Phaphamau, Jhalwa, and Bamrauli. This marks the first time these zones fall under municipal taxation, as PMC aims to formalise urban expansion and boost revenue. Residents are encouraged to complete a self-assessment process to ensure accurate billing, with physical verification to follow if needed. A 10% rebate is offered for payments made by July 31. This initiative follows low compliance in the previous year and reflects PMC's broader push to integrate peripheral areas and strengthen civic service delivery.Read more

After five years following the expansion of Prayagraj's urban limits in 2020-21, the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) is now set to collect house tax on 1.5 lakh additional buildings in the newly included areas. Property owners in these areas will also be required to pay water tax. Tax collection has already started in several parts, including Naini and Jhunsi, where basic urban amenities were provided earlier. The move follows similar plans in Gorakhpur and Varanasi. While some villagers express dissatisfaction due to a lack of urban development, many property owners have already paid their house tax for the current fiscal year.Read more

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has urged homeowners to clear their house and water taxes by March 31, 2025, to avoid penalties. Payments after the deadline will attract 12% interest on property tax and a 10% surcharge on water tax. So far, the PMC has collected INR 95.50 crore from 146,210 properties, aiming for INR 130 crore by year-end. To improve convenience, a unified online portal with QR code-enabled tax bills has been launched for easy payments. Similar efforts in cities like Delhi show a national push toward digital tax collection, boosting transparency and civic revenue for essential services.Read more