Press release- Infrastructure & Industrial Development Dept, U.P. World Bank to prepare master plan of Allahabad, Auraiya- investment zones in U.P. Lucknow | July 25, 2013: Following the momentous initiative taken by Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav to develop Amritsar-Delhi-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (ADKIC) on Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) on the lines of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor on Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, a World Bank team today met Principal Secretary, Infrastructure & Industrial Development Department (IIDD), Dr Surya Pratap Singh to chalk out future course of action on the project. Led by Barjor Mehta, Lead Urban Specialist of World Bank, the team included Agriculture & Urbanisation expert - Ireena Vittal; Consultant, Competitive Industries Practice and manufacturing- Yannik Saleman and Urban Planner - Vibhu Jain, who attended this high-level meeting chaired by Principal Secretary, IIDD, Dr Surya Pratap Singh. Managing Director, UPSIDC, Manoj Singh and Special Secretary of Infrastructure & Industrial Development Sumant Singh also attended the meeting. On the initiative of Principal Secretary, IIDD, Dr Surya Pratap Singh, Barjor Mehta agreed to fund the preparation of preliminary mater plans of Auraiya Investment Zone and Allahabad-Naini-Bara Investment Zone. Principal Secretary, IIDD, Dr Surya Pratap Singh said, "Since we are in advance stage of notifying two investment zones at Auraiya and Allahabad, preparation of master plans of these zones would help in accelerating the implementation of dedicated freight corridor project." Dr Singh added that once developed, ADKIC would catapult in the forefront of industrial growth. He said that along with Allahabad and Auraiya, we would pitch for preparation of master plan of Kannauj also, giving much needed fillip to traditional Attar (Perfume) industry in the region. Lead Urban Specialist, World Bank, Barjor Mehta informed that after the recent meeting of Inter- Ministerial Group of Government of on ADKIC, World Bank was conducting three studies on the project. Of which first study on primary data collection from six states along the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor has been completed. "Being the majority beneficiary of EDFC and best prepared state in run up to project implementation, we are embarking on the second phase of study from Uttar Pradesh", he added. It may be noted that Inter-ministerial group (IMG), constituted by Government of India to examine the feasibility along with structural and financing arrangements for proposed ADK Industrial Corridor, met in New Delhi in the first week of July. Wherein, Infrastructure & Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC), Alok Ranjan presented a detailed concept paper highlighting the potential of junctions along the corridor of being developed into Industrial/Investment Zones and trans-shipment hub. It is proposed to develop two National Investment & Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) and five Industrial Zones along the U.P. section of the industrial corridor. Proposed NIMZs include Auraiya National Investment & Manufacturing Zone (6043 hectares) and Jhansi National Investment & Manufacturing Zone (5567 hectares), while industrial zones have been proposed at Pashchimanchal Industrial Zone (2000 hectares), Braj Industrial Zone (2000 hectares), Logistics hub (6000 hectares), Allahabad-Naini-Bara Investment Zone (3000 hectares), Mughalsari-Varansai-Mirjapur Investment Zone (3000 hectares). UPSIDC has been nominated as Nodal Agency for ADKIC. Proposed alignment of 1840 Km long EDFC, starting from Punjab, includes mainly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Uttar Pradesh is the biggest beneficiary of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor project with the share of nearly 57 percent measuring 1049 Kms dissecting the state.