Haryana Chief Secretary's April 2026 Review Directive on IMC-Hisar (Hisar Industrial Smart City)

What was decided

In a high-level review meeting held on April 15, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi reviewed the progress of the IMC-Hisar project and directed all concerned departments to ensure timely and expedited implementation of decisions related to the project. The meeting reiterated that the NICDC-backed project under AKIC will play a key role in attracting investment to Haryana and generating large-scale employment opportunities.

The review was described as a push to industrial growth and infrastructure development, aimed at fast-tracking key decisions. The review meeting brought together senior officials from multiple departments, including civil aviation, irrigation, power utilities, and project authorities, highlighting coordinated action. Additional Chief Secretary, Civil Aviation Department, G Anupama, informed that the project is steadily progressing on multiple fronts, with planning, infrastructure development, and regulatory approvals moving in parallel.

Why the review was called: a project stuck in planning

The sluggish pace of work was leading to delays in the proposed Integrated Manufacturing Cluster near the airport in Hisar taking shape, a project being developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) as part of the Amritsar–Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC). Government sources indicated that delays in on-ground execution, despite strong initial structural advantages, were a matter of concern.

The IMC-Hisar was envisioned as a major manufacturing, logistics and advanced industrial hub aimed at attracting large-scale domestic and global investment, but years after approval, the project remained largely confined to the planning stage, according to an official. Procedural progress had remained slow, with the appointment of consultants still under process and the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) tender—which marks the beginning of physical infrastructure work—yet to be floated. The slow pace was seen as more evident when compared with other corridor-linked projects such as the IMC at Rajpura, where EPC-level execution had already advanced.

Land: the project's stated structural advantage

Unlike several other industrial smart city projects in the country, IMC-Hisar began with a significant advantage, as nearly 2,988 acres of encumbrance-free government land had already been transferred by the state government. Officials noted that since land acquisition is one of the biggest bottlenecks in industrial corridor development nationwide, the Hisar project had this initial advantage.

The project is spread over 1,605 acres in Phase I, and had already secured environmental clearance for a substantial portion of land, while approvals for the remaining area were in advanced stages, per an official statement. The full project is planned over approximately 2,988 acres, including 1,605 acres in Phase I, strategically located along NH-52 and NH-09 and close to the upcoming Hisar Aviation Hub.

Separately, ahead of the review, the Haryana Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, approved a waiver of nearly ₹132.4 crore in stamp duty and registration charges linked to the transfer of around 2,988 acres of land from the state's Civil Aviation Department to NICDC, the special purpose vehicle executing the project under AKIC.

Project scale, connectivity and land use

IMC Hisar, spread across 2,988 acres, is being developed under the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor near the Maharaja Agrasen Airport, with an investment potential of ₹32,417 crore and a project cost of ₹4,680 crore, expected to generate 1.25 lakh jobs. It is strategically located between the EDFC and WDFC, offering connectivity via NH-52, NH-09, rail links, and proximity to major logistics hubs.

The master plan provides for a balanced industrial ecosystem, with around 61% of the land earmarked for industrial and logistics activities, while the rest is used for green spaces, utilities and supporting infrastructure.

The IMC will benefit from multi-modal connectivity with air, road and rail, initially through the Hisar city Junction in the first phase of its development (2027), with a rail freight terminal at the airport by 2032, and a final phase by 2037.

What happened after the review

The Chief Secretary's directive to expedite implementation was followed, within weeks, by the step officials had flagged as pending at the April review. The IMC project took its first step towards implementation, with a ₹707-crore tender floated for infrastructure development in Hisar. The NICDC Haryana Integrated Manufacturing Cluster Hisar Project Limited (NHIMCHPL) floated this tender for the development of trunk infrastructure across about 2,988 acres near the Maharaja Agrasen airport, under the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor. The project is to be executed on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis, covering design, construction, testing, commissioning and operation and maintenance of trunk infrastructure including internal roads, water supply, sewerage and stormwater drainage.

The completed IMC is expected to require around 232 MW of electricity, for which the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) will establish a 220-kV grid substation, with power distribution within the IMC's sectors handled by the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN).

Practical effect for investors and locals

For businesses evaluating the site, the April 2026 review and its aftermath mark a transition point: the project moved from a land-ready but tender-less state to one where trunk-infrastructure construction has formally been put out to bid. Officials note it is the first of the 12 planned IMCs to reach this stage, since the required land was available without hurdles as it sits on government-owned land.

Investors should treat the April 15 meeting as a governance milestone, not a land-allotment or pricing decision — no rates, plot sizes or allotment schedules were announced at the review itself. As of the review period, plot allotment at scale had not yet begun, though land acquisition and infrastructure planning were under way.