Housing Minister stresses demand-based development, superior construction quality and plans to develop Naya Raipur Atal Nagar as one of India’s leading greenfield cities
TFP Bureau, Raipur, August 25, 2026: Housing and Environment Minister O.P. Choudhary on Tuesday performed the groundbreaking and foundation stone-laying ceremony for a ₹119.89-crore housing project in Sector-12, Phase-2 of Naya Raipur Atal Nagar, saying the state government was committed to developing the city into one of the country’s leading greenfield urban centres.
The project, being undertaken by the Chhattisgarh Housing and Infrastructure Development Board, will include 348 housing units in the High Income Group (HIG) and Middle Income Group (MIG) categories. In view of growing demand, the Board is also planning to construct 704 additional flats in the next phase.
Choudhary said the state government was adopting a demand-driven approach to housing development to ensure that projects were commercially viable and better aligned with the needs of prospective homebuyers.
No housing project without adequate demand
The Housing Minister said several policy reforms had been introduced to give a new direction to the Housing Board. He said the Board, which had earlier been burdened with debt, was made debt-free after repayment of loans amounting to around ₹700 crore.
He said a policy had subsequently been framed under which new housing projects would not be launched at locations without sufficient demand.
Under the new approach, the tender process for a project will move forward only after achieving 60 per cent booking, or 30 per cent booking within the first three months. The policy, he said, would help prevent the construction of housing units that remain vacant for long periods due to inadequate demand.
“This approach will ensure that Housing Board projects are practical, demand-based and responsive to the actual requirements of consumers,” he said.
Quality to take precedence in Housing Board projects
Choudhary said the Chhattisgarh Housing and Infrastructure Development Board should establish itself as a professional organisation and not remain confined merely to constructing houses.
He directed officials to give the highest priority to construction quality and said superior materials should be used wherever necessary rather than relying solely on the prescribed government Schedule of Rates.
The Minister called for the use of better-quality tiles and fittings, along with attractive and modern colour schemes, to ensure that Housing Board colonies offer a distinctive and contemporary living environment.
He said a five to 10 per cent increase in project costs, if required for improving quality and amenities, should be viewed as an investment in providing better value to homebuyers.
“The Housing Board must set new benchmarks for quality in its future projects,” he said.
RWAs to play a greater role in colony management
The Minister also stressed the need to strengthen Resident Welfare Associations and ensure the timely handover of colonies to residents.
He said the development and maintenance of residential colonies was a shared responsibility of the government and residents. He urged residents of Sector-12 to form an active Resident Welfare Association and participate in the maintenance and management of their colony.
Choudhary also appealed to new beneficiaries to monitor the quality of construction and promptly bring any shortcomings to the notice of the Housing Board Chairman, Commissioner or other concerned officials.
704 additional flats planned
Housing Board Chairman Anurag Singh Deo said 348 HIG and MIG houses would be constructed on the remaining 29.20 acres of land in Sector-12, Phase-2. The base selling price of the units has been fixed between ₹45.70 lakh and ₹85.17 lakh.
He said another 704 flats were proposed in the next phase in response to growing housing demand. These will include 128 HIG, 320 MIG and 256 LIG flats, with the proposed base selling price ranging from ₹16.76 lakh to ₹40.47 lakh.
Singh Deo said the Board was focusing on demand-based projects, better residential amenities and high-quality construction, adding that several new initiatives had gained momentum over the past year.
Naya Raipur emerging as major greenfield city
Choudhary said Naya Raipur Atal Nagar was rapidly emerging as an important greenfield city, supported by modern infrastructure and growth in education, healthcare and technology.
He said nearly one-third of the city had been developed as a recreational zone, while more than 28 per cent of its area was under greenery.
The Minister highlighted the presence of institutions such as NIFT, NFSU, NIELIT, IIM, HNLU and IIIT, along with upcoming and proposed developments including the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Centre, Brahma Kumaris campus, an AI data centre and a semiconductor unit.
He said the expansion of these institutions and projects would further strengthen Naya Raipur’s position as a centre for education, technology and innovation.
Healthcare infrastructure is also expanding, he said, noting that free heart surgeries for needy patients were being performed at Satya Sai Hospital. Additional land has been allotted for the expansion of the hospital complex, where facilities such as a health training centre, genome research centre and nursing college are proposed.
Potential to emerge as sports and conference destination
Choudhary said Naya Raipur was witnessing rapid growth in sectors including sports, education, healthcare, conferences and wedding tourism.
He said the impact of several ongoing development projects would become increasingly visible over the next one to two years and congratulated the new beneficiaries of the Sector-12 Phase-2 housing project for choosing to make Naya Raipur their home.
The Minister directed the construction agency and concerned officials to complete the project ahead of schedule, while ensuring that there was no compromise on quality. Beneficiaries, he said, should receive modern homes with superior amenities within the stipulated timeframe.
Housing Board Secretary Ankit Anand said quality, transparency and timely completion remained key priorities for the Board. He said all necessary measures were being taken to complete the Sector-12 Phase-2 project on schedule and deliver quality housing to beneficiaries.
Housing Board’s expanding presence in Naya Raipur
Housing Board Commissioner Avnish Sharan said the Board had been steadily expanding its residential projects in Naya Raipur over the years.
The Board’s first residential colony was launched in 2007 on 154 acres in Sector-27, where 2,665 independent houses and flats were completed in 2014 and handed over to allottees.
A second colony was developed on 145 acres in Sector-29 from 2011, comprising 3,012 independent houses and flats, which were completed and handed over in 2015.
Housing construction was also initiated in 2016 across 43 acres in Sectors 16, 30 and 34 under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana. The project includes 4,544 flats, comprising 2,312 EWS and 2,232 LIG units. Possession of 1,871 units has already been handed over to beneficiaries.
Another residential project was launched in 2018 on 40.06 acres in Sector-12, Phase-1, where construction and development of 450 HIG and MIG houses have been completed and possession handed over to allottees.
Peepal sapling planted under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’
During the programme, Choudhary and other dignitaries planted a Peepal sapling under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, highlighting the importance of environmental conservation and increasing green cover.
A pledge was also taken to protect trees and promote plantation. Choudhary said tree plantation and the preservation of greenery would play an important role in developing Naya Raipur Atal Nagar as an environmentally sustainable and eco-friendly city.
Public representatives, Housing Board officials and employees, Sector-12 residents, new beneficiaries and media representatives were present on the occasion.
