NCR Growth Nodes
Namo Cities: The Four New NCR Nodes Under Regional Plan 2041
Namo Cities (also called Namo Nodes) are four proposed greenfield urban centres — one each in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan — built around Namo Bharat RRTS stations under the draft National Capital Region Regional Plan 2041. As of July 2026 the concept has in-principle approval but no city has been located, funded or notified yet.
| Status | Proposed / in-principle approved (42nd NCRPB meeting, 16 June 2026); Regional Plan 2041 itself not yet formally notified |
|---|---|
| Number of cities | 4 — one each in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan |
| Nature of development | Semi-greenfield, mixed-use Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) at existing/proposed Namo Bharat (RRTS) stations |
| Central incentive | ₹5,000 crore over 5 years, including a ₹1,000 crore grant, released on a performance-linked basis |
| Selection method | Challenge-based process; each state submits proposals for 3 candidate sites, one is selected |
| Location decision due | Committee report expected by 15 August 2026 |
| Governing body | National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), under MoHUA, NCRPB Act 1985 |
| NCR size (existing region) | ≈55,083 sq km, Delhi plus 27 districts of Haryana, UP and Rajasthan |
| Projected NCR population by 2041 | ≈14.7–15 crore, up from ~7.86 crore now |
| Next milestone | 43rd NCRPB meeting proposed for December 2026 |
What Are the Namo Cities?
Four new greenfield cities, called Namo Cities or Namo Nodes, are proposed under the National Capital Region Regional Plan 2041, with the proposal announced on 16 June 2026 after the 42nd board meeting of the NCR Planning Board. One Namo City is planned in each of the four NCR participating states: Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and these cities will be developed as mixed-use Transit-Oriented Developments at selected existing and proposed stations on the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System lines.
Some official framing describes them as semi-greenfield cities to be developed as mixed-use transit-oriented development (TOD) hubs at selected existing and proposed stations on the Namo Bharat (Regional Rapid Transit System/RRTS) lines rather than fully virgin-land townships. Each city node is meant to function as an integrated urban hub with housing, commercial establishments, employment opportunities, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and other essential civic infrastructure.
Who Is Building It — Governance and Funding
The concept sits inside the Regional Plan 2041 process run by the NCR Planning Board. The proposals were reviewed at the 42nd meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), chaired by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal. The meeting was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, and urban development ministers from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
On money, a performance-linked incentive of ₹5,000 crore, including a ₹1,000 crore grant, will be provided over five years for the development of these cities. On process, state governments will submit proposals, and the final locations will be selected through a competitive challenge-based process, and each state will have to submit three plans for three identified cities, out of which one will be eligible for selection.
Where — NCR's Notified Extent and Candidate Sites
The Namo Cities sit within the existing National Capital Region, not a newly expanded one. NCR spans 55,083 square kilometre across Delhi and 27 districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (UP), and Rajasthan, covering 230 urban settlements and 11,784 villages, and contributing 8 per cent of India's gross domestic product. The NCR Planning Board decided to retain the existing geographical boundaries of the region, and all 32 districts currently included within the NCR will continue to remain part of it — the differing district counts across reports reflect Rajasthan's internal district reorganisation rather than a change in NCR's footprint. Indeed, a notification issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on July 2 has amended the Schedule of the NCRPB Act, 1985, replacing the earlier description of Rajasthan's NCR areas with the state's newly constituted districts and tehsils, and the notification does not expand the overall geographical extent of the NCR or alter the proposed Regional Plan-2041.
No Namo City site has been finalised yet. Candidate locations under discussion include: Uttar Pradesh has suggested Jewar, Dadri, Khurja, Bulandshahr, and Noida as possible locations, while Rajasthan is examining areas around Alwar and Bharatpur for the proposed city.
Why It Exists
The driver is population math. According to official estimates, the region's population is expected to increase to 147.3 million by 2041 from 78.6 million at present, and the Regional Plan also estimates that nearly 67% of the NCR's population will be urban by 2041, highlighting the need to develop new urban centres instead of concentrating growth around Delhi, Gurugram and Noida.
Officials argue the region's current anchor cities are reaching limits: existing hubs like Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad are rapidly approaching their saturation points in terms of water, traffic management, and housing, so the 'Namo Cities' initiative represents a deliberate pivot toward decentralized growth, establishing self-sustaining economic and residential zones across the border states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The plan is also billed around a mobility goal: the objective is to create multiple urban centres connected through high-capacity public transport systems, including the Metro network and Regional Rapid Transit System corridors, allowing people to access workplaces and essential services without long daily commutes.
Current Status (as of July 2026)
Namo Cities have in-principle approval but no formal notification. The Regional Plan-2041 itself has not yet been notified; the board had resolved to complete the remaining administrative formalities before issuing the final plan. The 42nd NCRPB meeting produced consensus rather than final sign-off: the broad consensus reached at the 42nd meeting of the NCRPB leaves the Regional Plan-2041 just a step away from formal adoption, with another meeting expected in August.
A location-selection process is now running on a fixed clock. The committee on the four new urban centres is expected to submit its report by August 15, and the board's 43rd meeting has been proposed for December. Consultation on the wider plan has been running for years: public notice in December 2021 drew over 4,500 comments, it has undergone elaborate state and central government-level discussions and reviews through 2025, and the updated draft was shared with all four constituent states in January 2026.
Headline Connectivity
The cities are designed around India's regional rapid rail brand. Namo Bharat is the brand name used for the Regional Rapid Transit System in India, and Transit-Oriented Development is linked with high-density development around rail and metro stations. The wider ambition is a "30-minute NCR" — a commitment that every major city in the region should be reachable from Delhi within half an hour through superfast rail links and eight RRTS corridors, and heli-taxi services for inter-city travel are also part of the blueprint.
But the network is far from built out: currently, Namo Bharat RRTS is operational only on one route (Delhi-Meerut), and there would need to be more clarity on the funding and plans for the other corridors. Near existing RRTS stations, real-estate effects are already visible — property values within a two-kilometre radius of stations on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor have appreciated by 30-67 percent over the past two years, with areas such as Meerut, Ghaziabad, Muradnagar and Modinagar witnessing increased demand.
What Happens Next
Three things are on the near-term calendar: the site-selection committee's report (due 15 August 2026), the 43rd NCRPB meeting (proposed for December 2026), and eventual formal notification of Regional Plan 2041. The committee on the four new urban centres is expected to submit its report by August 15, and the board's 43rd meeting has been proposed for December.
Independent analysts caution that approval is not the hard part. The plan's value to investors, developers and policymakers will be determined not by proposals approved at the NCRPB meeting, but by which state moves first, which corridor gets notified earliest, and whether the Centre steps in to bridge the coordination gap that four-state planning has never managed to close on its own. Industry estimates of the scale involved vary: a recent Knight Frank India report says the Regional Plan 2041 could attract nearly Rs 20 lakh crore in investments, accommodate an additional population of around three crore and facilitate the emergence of multiple new urban centres across the region.
Development phases
Frequently asked questions
What exactly are the Namo Cities?
They are four proposed greenfield/semi-greenfield urban centres — one each in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan — planned as mixed-use, transit-oriented developments around stations on the Namo Bharat (RRTS) network, under the draft NCR Regional Plan 2041.
Have the exact locations been decided?
No. As of July 2026, states are proposing candidate sites and a committee is expected to report by 15 August 2026. UP has floated Jewar, Dadri, Khurja, Bulandshahr and Noida; Rajasthan is looking at areas around Alwar and Bharatpur.
How will the final sites be chosen?
Through a challenge-based (competitive) process: each state submits proposals for candidate sites, and one location per state is selected, with central incentive funding tied to performance.
How much funding has the Centre committed?
A performance-linked package of ₹5,000 crore over five years, including a ₹1,000 crore grant, to support development of the selected Namo Cities.
Has the NCR Regional Plan 2041 been officially notified yet?
No. As of July 2026 the plan has in-principle consensus from the NCR Planning Board but has not been formally notified; a further board meeting (the 43rd) is proposed for December 2026 before finalisation.
How will Namo Cities connect to the rest of NCR?
They are anchored on the Namo Bharat RRTS corridors and the broader "30-minute NCR" vision, which aims to link major NCR cities to Delhi within roughly 30 minutes via rail, with eight RRTS corridors and heli-taxi services also part of the blueprint. Currently only the Delhi–Meerut RRTS line is operational.
Does the NCR's geographical boundary change because of this plan?
No. The NCR Planning Board decided to retain the existing geographical extent of the NCR; a July 2026 notification only updated Rajasthan's district/tehsil descriptions to match that state's internal reorganisation, without changing NCR's overall area.
Sources
- Four New Namo Cities Proposed Under NCR Regional Plan 2041 – GKToday
- 4 Namo cities, 3 development zones: What NCR Regional Plan 2041 proposes | Business Standard
- NCR 2041 Blueprint Paves Way for Four 'Namo' Cities, Opening New Growth Corridors for Real Estate
- NCR Regional Plan 2041: Four Namo Cities, 30-Minute Travel Vision Set to Reshape Delhi-NCR
- 4 NCR 'Namo Cities' to decongest Delhi - The Tribune
- Namo Cities: Delhi's decongestion dream faces the test of execution | Business Standard
- Delhi-NCR To Be Divided Into 3 Zones, 4 New 'Namo' Cities To Be Made - Trak.in
- Centre aligns Rajasthan's NCR map with its new dists; no change in area - The Tribune
- Four New Greenfield 'Namo Cities' Approved Under NCR Regional Plan 2041 to Decentralise Urban Sprawl | Republic World
- NCR Board's Green Scheme & 4 Namo Cities Proposed - New Kerala
- Four 'Namo Cities' under NCR Plan 2041 likely to open new real estate growth corridors - PSU Watch
- Delhi-NCR to get 4 new 'Namo' cities; panel to decide locations by August 15 - The Tribune
- NCR to get 4 new 'Namo' cities; states vie for Rs 5,000 crore development fund - The Tribune