The 135-km development belt along the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway is set to emerge as one of the most intensively developed regions in the National Capital Region (NCR), with the Draft Regional Plan-2041 identifying it as the “Golden Ring of Opportunity.”
The proposal, which will be placed before the NCR Planning Board on June 16, designates the area between the KMP and Eastern Peripheral Expressway as the Central NCR (CNCR) and envisions it as the region’s primary economic growth engine. The CNCR includes areas outside Delhi extending up to five kilometres beyond the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.
The draft notes that the NCR currently contributes around 8 per cent of India’s GDP and is expected to play a key role in achieving the country’s $5 trillion economy target, with the CNCR at the centre of future growth.
The CNCR is one of five policy zones proposed under Regional Plan-2041, alongside NCT Delhi, Highway Corridor Zones with Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), Natural Conservation Zones and the Rest of NCR. Among these, the CNCR has been earmarked for the highest intensity of development, featuring dense mixed-use projects, higher Floor Area Ratios (FAR), TOD-based urban clusters and priority infrastructure investments.
All new settlements and redevelopment projects in the zone will be required to adopt modern smart-city infrastructure and civic amenities on the lines of AURIC City, developed under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
A key component of the plan is the development of five new greenfield cities, collectively called Panchgrams, along the KMP corridor. Haryana proposes industrial townships and urban settlements spread over nearly 2.5 lakh hectares, extending 2-6 km on either side of the expressway. A dedicated Panchgram Development Authority is proposed to oversee the project.
The draft also calls for integrating the Manesar-Bawal Investment Region, a major DMIC industrial hub, into state-level planning frameworks.
Transport infrastructure will be central to the development strategy. Several Multimodal Transport Stations (MMTS) are planned, including one at Panchgaon Chowk, Manesar, linking the Delhi-Alwar RRTS, Gurugram-Manesar Metro and Jhajjar-Palwal rail line. Another major transport hub is proposed at Kherki Daula, Gurugram, integrating RRTS, Metro and bus services.
The KMP corridor has already driven significant real estate growth in Manesar, New Gurugram, Sohna, Bahadurgarh and Sonepat. The proposed Regional Plan-2041 is expected to further accelerate urbanisation, industrial expansion and investment across the region.
