The Jharkhand government has decided to set up a new capital complex some distance away from the existing state government complex at Ranchi city. The new capital will come up in the area now occupied by the villages of Sukurhuttu and Pithoria.
After returning from a visit to seek investments from Malaysia, chief minister Babulal Marandi announced the construction of a new capital complex in the area under the two villages. The project would follow the pattern of the upcoming capital of Malaysia near Kuala Lampur.
A Malaysian government delegation has already visited Ranchi and held talks with Marandi on the building of the new capital complex.
The Malaysian team also made an aerial survey of the national highways passing through the state and identified a spot in Sahebganj area where a bridge has to be built across the Ganga.
The team studied the Greater Ranchi area and identified the core area where state Assembly, secretariat, and residences of the governor, chief minister etc could be located. Marandi has asked the Malaysian team to prepare the master plan for the projects.
Both land and adequate infrastructure suitable for a new urban complex to house the state government offices are available within the huge land within the township of the ailing public sector Heavy Engineering Corporation.
However, the state government has rejected the proposal made by the HEC management to locate the government offices there.
HEC, currently before BIFR, has several thousand acres of vacant land and several hundred vacant flats which many feel are good enough for a state government office complex.
When Jharkhand was constituted in 2000, HEC had provided premises and quarters to accommodate the state Assembly, secretariat, legislators and state government officers and employees in both official and residential capacities.
Local trade and industry circles feel if the state paid HEC for its vacant land and built the proposed state government office complex there, the sick enterprise would get funds necessary for its winding-up.
The Jharkhand government would also save several hundred crores as it would not have to construct basic infrastructure as it already existed in the HEC township area. The time required to notify and acquire land would also be saved.
