What began as a modest plan to develop an education cluster in North Delhi’s Narela has now taken a significant leap forward. The Delhi government on Saturday expanded the Narela Education City project, raising its budget from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,300 crore and formally handing over land parcels to multiple universities—marking a major boost to higher education infrastructure in the capital.
Addressing a press conference, Education Minister Ashish Sood said the decision to scale up the project was taken after reassessing long-term academic, residential and infrastructure requirements.
“The project was initially planned at Rs 500 crore. Keeping future requirements in mind, the budget has now been raised to Rs 1,300 crore,” Sood said.
Land Allotment Clears the Way for Construction
As part of the expanded plan, possession letters were handed over to two major institutions:
- Delhi Teachers University: 12.69 acres
- Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU): 22.43 acres
Officials added that Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW) had already been allotted 50 acres earlier.
With these latest allocations, nearly 160 acres in Narela has now been earmarked for universities and allied education infrastructure, paving the way for construction to begin in phases.
Payments to DDA Underway
The Delhi government has also started clearing its dues to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to ensure smooth and timely execution of the project.
So far, around Rs 452 crore has been paid, and officials said the remaining amount will be released within the current financial year.
Shared Academic Campus Model
Narela Education City will follow a shared campus model, a concept widely used in global university hubs. Under this approach, multiple institutions will share common facilities such as:
- Libraries
- Laboratories
- Auditoriums
- Research and innovation centres
“This approach is aligned with global campus planning practices and will reduce duplication while optimising resources,” Sood said.
Housing, Metro Connectivity and Employment Push
The project also includes a strong residential and connectivity component. Faculty and staff housing—including LIG, MIG, HIG and EWS units—is planned within the education zone. Universities have proposed investments of around Rs 567 crore for hostels and residential facilities.
Connectivity to the area is expected to improve significantly with the Rithala–Narela Metro corridor, which is currently under construction.
Officials said the integrated development is expected to:
- Increase student intake across institutions
- Strengthen teacher education and technical learning
- Generate substantial direct and indirect employment as campuses become operational
With land allotments now complete and funding scaled up, Narela Education City is poised to emerge as one of Delhi’s largest and most future-ready higher education hubs.