UP may build a modern Vidhan Bhavan on 245-acre Sahara land in Lucknow, easing space issues and complementing the historic 1928 assembly building.

The colonial-era Vidhan Bhavan may soon have a contemporary counterpart on the recently reclaimed 245-acre Sahara Group land in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar Extension, ending the Uttar Pradesh government‘s two-year hunt for a suitable location for a new assembly complex. According to officials, the location is being given careful thought as the best choice for the future state legislature building.

The land owned by the Sahara Group has been fully seized by the state government, and it is being considered as a possible location for the new parliamentary building, according to a senior government official with knowledge of the issue. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will make the ultimate choice.

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) conducted a thorough survey and measurement of the 245 acres of property that Sahara India had previously leased in accordance with government directives. Within 10 days, the LDA finished the procedure, and on Sunday, it turned in its report to the government. The property comprises 75 acres set aside for green purposes, 40 acres designated as a green belt, and 130 acres provided under a license agreement.

According to officials, there are significant logistical benefits to the land’s position. It is almost equally spaced from the administrative center of Hazratganj, the chief minister’s mansion, and the MLAs’ housing complex in Gomti Nagar. The location is roughly 15 to 20 minutes from the metro station and the airport, and it has direct connections to Shaheed Path, Amar Shaheed Path, and Hazratganj. Additionally, it is anticipated that the location will reduce traffic during parliamentary sessions.

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Soon after the new Parliament building was opened in 2023, there was a renewed interest in establishing a new Vidhan Sabha complex. To suggest locations for the project, the state government enlisted the help of Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management Private Limited, the company that designed the new Parliament.

In 2023–2024, ₹50 crore was allocated for the new structure; however, the plan was postponed because no site had been finalized. Previous suggestions for sites on the periphery of the city were rejected because of their separation from important administrative areas.

The state’s bicameral legislature is housed in the existing Vidhan Bhavan, which has severe capacity limits, which is why a new facility is being proposed. Despite having 403 authorized members, the assembly may only hold 379 seats. To accommodate 35 more, more rows were erected, leaving little space for growth. In the Vidhan Parishad wing, there are comparable space problems.

One of the best instances of Indo-European architecture in the state is the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Bhavan, which was built in 1928. Then-Governor Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler lay the foundation stone on December 15, 1922, and it was officially opened on February 21, 1928. The history structure, which was constructed for ₹21 lakh, is still a representation of the state’s legislative past.