The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has commenced the land acquisition process for the planned Heritage City project located in the Mathura district. To facilitate this, the authority is actively seeking consent from local farmers. An official stated that the registration of land will begin once the compensation rates are finalized, a decision expected to be made in the upcoming YEIDA board meeting scheduled for this month.

A senior official from YEIDA indicated that the compensation rates for the land will be established during the board meeting, after which the distribution of compensation and the execution of sale deeds will commence. This initiative will follow a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, allowing direct purchases from farmers rather than through conventional acquisition methods. The land acquisition efforts are currently focused on the villages of Arua Khadar and Bhim Khadar, with an office set up in Mathura to oversee operations.

This initiative is part of the second phase of the Heritage City Project, which spans 735 acres and has been under review for the past two to three years. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has undergone multiple revisions due to land encroachments and the requirements set forth by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The development will occur along both sides of a 15.3 km stretch of road connecting the 101 km mark of the Yamuna Expressway to NH 44, as reported by a local media outlet.

Key Facilities Planned for the Heritage City Include:

A theme-based heritage park covering 350 acres
Yoga, wellness, and naturopathy center on 103 acres
Green spaces spanning 97 acres
Tourist transport services over 46 acres
A convention center occupying 42 acres
An Ayurvedic medical center on 35 acres
Hotels on 26.60 acres
Affordable hotels on 19.60 acres
An old age home on 10 acres
Service apartments on 7 acres
A market area covering 6 acres
Additional tourist amenities across 8.40 acres.

By the end of this month, the authority plans to issue a tender to select a developer for the project. The land acquisition will involve several villages, including Arua Khadar, Bhim Khadar, Dangoli Khadar, Pani Village Khadar, Piproli Khadar, Jehangirpur, Begumpur Khadar, and Jehangirpur Khadar.