The National Capital Region Planning Board approved the development of four new greenfield “Namo” smart cities under the Regional Plan 2041 [1].

This initiative seeks to mitigate the pressures of rapid urbanization by decentralizing urban sprawl and creating sustainable hubs to accommodate a growing population [1, 5].

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal chaired the board meeting where the plan was finalized [1]. The project focuses on developing these cities as smart greenfield urban centers to de-congest the National Capital Region [2].

To determine the exact locations across Haryana, the government will use a competitive challenge [1]. A 5,000 crore rupee competitive funding model will be employed to select the final sites [3].

“We will select the four cities through a competitive challenge,” Manohar Lal said [1].

Data indicates a significant shift in the region's demographics. The urban population share in the NCR is projected to reach 57 percent by 2031 [4] and climb to 67 percent by 2041 [4].

An NCR Planning Board spokesperson said the Namo Cities will be developed as smart greenfield urban centres to de-congest the NCR [2]. The strategic placement of these cities is intended to redistribute the population away from the core of Delhi, reducing the strain on existing infrastructure, and services [3, 5].

By establishing these new hubs, officials aim to create a more balanced regional development pattern that prevents the uncontrolled expansion of the current metropolitan area [5].

““We will select the four cities through a competitive challenge.””

The approval of the Namo cities represents a shift toward planned decentralization in India's capital region. By moving away from organic, unplanned sprawl and toward designated greenfield smart cities, the government is attempting to preempt the infrastructure collapse that often accompanies rapid urban migration. The use of a competitive funding model suggests a performance-based approach to site selection, prioritizing locations that can best integrate smart technology with urban planning.