UP weighs metropolitan makeover for Noida; proposes forming civic body

The Yogi Adityanath-led state government of Uttar Pradesh has prepared a detailed note proposing the creation of a metropolitan corporation in the NCR city, which is set to be placed before the state’s council of ministers for consideration, according to a TOI report.

If approved, Noida may be on the cusp of a fundamental change in how the city is governed.

According to the TOI report, the proposal has its roots in a directive from the Supreme Court issued in August last year.


Acting on the recommendations of a state-appointed special investigation team (SIT), the court asked the UP government to consider a new governance framework for Noida.

The SIT had been constituted in connection with a land compensation scam linked to the Noida Authority.

In its note cited by the news outlet, the industries department underlined Noida’s original mandate as a planned industrial, residential and commercial hub designed to attract investment, foster entrepreneurship and generate employment.

However, It flagged concerns that introducing a metropolitan corporation could unsettle investor confidence, given Noida’s status as a major destination for foreign direct investment in the state.

The department also pointed out that the Industrial Area Development Act does not currently provide for a civic body, making legislative changes unavoidable if the court’s directions are to be implemented.

It recommended that the council of ministers take an in-principle call on whether to move towards a metropolitan corporation to improve transparency and citizen participation in decision-making.

Consultations across departments such as urban development, revenue, planning and housing reportedly raised no major objections, leaving the final call to the cabinet.

TOI reported though that the law department drew attention to constitutional constraints, noting that under Article 243Q, municipalities are not mandatory in notified industrial townships, and existing state law bars the creation of panchayats in such areas.

The finance department, meanwhile, has clarified that any financial burden arising from a new civic body would be met by the Noida Authority itself, not the state government.

Current system and court order

At present, the city is administered entirely by the Noida Authority, formally known as the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority, set up in 1976 under the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Area Development Act.

As a notified industrial township, Noida does not have an elected municipal body, with all civic and planning powers concentrated in the authority.

The Supreme Court’s intervention was driven by the SIT’s sharply critical assessment of Noida Authority’s functioning.

The report flagged excessive concentration of power, weak oversight, land policies skewed in favour of builders, and limited public scrutiny. It further cited 20 cases of excess compensation payments amounting to about Rs 118 crore and called for scrutiny of the assets of officials involved.

With Noida’s land bank shrinking amid rapid urbanisation, the SIT argued that the city needs a fresh governance and urban management model to improve everyday services such as waste management, transport and infrastructure upkeep.

It suggested that a metropolitan corporation with elected ward representatives could make administration more accountable and responsive to local needs, noted the TOI report.

Endorsing these recommendations, a Supreme Court bench directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to place the proposal before the council of ministers.