New Modern Buildwell: Conceiving a new India

THE Indian government has unveiled ambitious plans to develop 100 smart cities across the country. The government's Smart Cities Mission is a bold new initiative, meant to set examples that can be replicated both within and outside the smart city and creation of similar cities across the country.
According to the Ministry of Urban Development, the core infrastructure elements in a smart city would include adequate water supply, assured power supply, sanitation including solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, affordable housing, robust IT connectivity and digitalisation, good governance, sustainable environment, safety and security of citizens, and health and education.
Many developers around the country are now taking a leaf out of the government's Smart Cities Mission and launching variants. One such city that is coming up is Navyug Smart Mini City in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Says P.N. Misra, Chairman and Managing Director, New Modern Buildwell Pvt Ltd (NMBPL), which is promoting Navyug Smart Mini City: "Every home will be a smart home. We will ensure that every drop of water is recycled and reused, rainwater will be harvested, solar energy will be fully utilised and there will be modern waste disposal systems."
A former government officer, Misra has been on virtually every government committee related to the setting up of smart cities. "Ours is a greenfield smart city, one of the first in the country," he says. "We're creating this smart mini city on 15 acres of land in Allahabad. It will ultimately have 3.2 million square feet of built-up area."
The Navyug Smart Mini City will feature gated, 24/7 security, regular power supply with back-up, abundant potable water, management of disposal of household waste, self-sustained sewage treatment plant and waste recycling facility, elevated walkways, self-sustaining maintenance and running of services, best available ICT solutions, and world-class connectivity to attract professionals.
Misra says construction of the first phase has begun and residents will move in over the next couple of years. The mini city will comprise 1,600 flats and ultimately have a population of about 10,000 residents.
"We are expecting good response from NRIs in the Gulf," he says. "There is good potential for such smart city projects in the Gulf region."
The former civil servant specialises in the creation of new townships as a planner, administrator and executor. "During my career with the government and the private sector, I have developed large townships sprawling over between 3,000 acres and 6,000 acres of land in Uttar Pradesh," says Misra.
His first integrated urban creation was the Gomti Nagar township in Lucknow, the state capital, in 1984, which is today a vibrant, 6,000-acre urban hub. Misra studied at the University College, London, specialising in the planning of big cities.
Later, he was involved in the development of self-contained townships in Delhi NCR, Lucknow and Allahabad. As head of the Ghaziabad Development Authority between 1988 and 1991, he developed a chain of townships in Kaushambi, Vaishali and Indrapuram within the NCR. Today, these townships occupy 10,000 acres of land and are home to half a million people.
Misra then headed a top real estate developer in Delhi and as Managing Director successfully implemented a hi-tech township covering 3,500 acres in Lucknow.
And now with the changing concept of urban development, he has set up a new organisation that is actively engaged in the creation of smart cities, especially greenfield ones.
Navyug Smart Mini City has been inspired by the five basic elements of earth, water, fire, sky and air, says Misra. The five enclaves in the complex are also named as Avani (earth), Nirjhar (water), Jyotirmay (fire), Gagan (sky) and Pawan (air).
The project comprises one, two and three BHK apartments. Misra says great emphasis has been laid to deploy the latest technology while developing the township. This will be done while keeping the eco-friendly aspect in mind with the need to ensure efficient use of energy and water resources.