The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) and Maharashtra Industrial Township Limited (MITL) have initiated a two-day cross-learning site visit to the Shendra-Bidkin Industrial Area (AURIC Smart City) in Maharashtra. This visit aims to enhance knowledge sharing, strengthen institutional capacities, and promote best practices in developing Greenfield industrial smart cities nationwide. The event has gathered senior officials from state governments, Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), Programme Managers for New Cities (PMNCs), EPC contractors, and other stakeholders to exchange knowledge and best practices in planning, implementing, and operating Greenfield industrial smart cities.
NICDC’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Rajat Kumar Saini, highlighted AURIC as a model for integrated industrial city development under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP). He emphasized how AURIC showcases world-class infrastructure, investor-centric planning, technology-enabled governance, and multimodal connectivity to foster globally competitive manufacturing ecosystems. Saini also underscored the importance of granting Special Purpose Vehicles greater planning flexibility to enhance land utilization, optimize infrastructure, and facilitate future expansion.
The visit included an overview of AURIC’s planning framework and integrated infrastructure on its first day. Participants were briefed on the development of the Shendra-Bidkin Industrial Area, showcased digital planning and monitoring systems, and toured operational industrial units, utility infrastructure, connectivity projects, and industrial development facilities. Discussions during the program encompassed integrated master planning, project implementation, land utilization, investor facilitation, digital governance, and project monitoring.
Participants shared insights on enhancing coordination among implementing agencies and expediting infrastructure development along industrial corridors. Deliberations also covered the implementation framework of the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA), NICDC’s initiative to establish world-class plug-and-play industrial parks nationwide. The exchange focused on leveraging AURIC’s expertise in integrated planning, digital governance, utility infrastructure, and investor facilitation for projects under the BHAVYA scheme.
