State Cabinet Approves Development of 11 New Satellite Townships
In a significant move, the state cabinet has approved the development of 11 new satellite townships, imposing restrictions on land transactions and construction until the master plans are finalized. The cabinet, led by Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, has designated specific names for these townships, which include Pataliputra for Patna and Mithila for Darbhanga. The core areas of these townships will range from 800 to 1200 acres, with construction set to begin in accordance with the master plan. This initiative aims to enhance urban development across the state.
| Apr 23, 2026, 15:53 IST
Cabinet Decision on New Townships
The state cabinet convened on Wednesday and made a significant decision to develop 11 new satellite townships. Among the key resolutions, the cabinet decided to impose a ban on the buying, selling, and transfer of land, as well as the construction of buildings in the proposed township areas. A notification regarding this will be issued shortly. Until the master plan for these cities is finalized, no transactions or construction will be permitted in these township regions.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, the cabinet has finalized the names of the 11 townships, which will be developed with specified core and special areas. Vinay Kumar, the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development and Housing Department, informed reporters during a post-cabinet briefing that the names of the townships are as follows: Patna will be named Pataliputra, Sonpur will be known as Harihar Nathpur, Gaya will be referred to as Magadh, Darbhanga will be called Mithila, Munger will be named Ang, Purnia will retain its name, Saharsa will be known as Koshi, Chapra will be called Saran, Bhagalpur will be referred to as Vikramshila, Muzaffarpur will be named Tirhut, and Sitamarhi will be known as Sitapuram.
For the proposed townships, a ban on land transactions, transfers, and construction will be in effect until March 31, 2027, for Patna, Sonpur, Gaya, Darbhanga, Munger, Purnia, and Saharsa. Meanwhile, for Chapra, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, and Sitamarhi, these restrictions will last until June 30, 2027. However, Kumar clarified that if the master plan is completed sooner, the restrictions could be lifted earlier. Once the master plan is notified, restrictions may also be imposed on the four proposed townships of Chapra, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, and Sitamarhi.
Kumar mentioned that the core area of these townships could range from 800 acres to 1200 acres. He further stated that the state government will initiate construction in the core area according to the master plan, which can be expanded and developed to more than ten times the core area. Notably, the state cabinet had approved the development of these 11 townships, including nine divisional headquarters, on November 25, 2025, along with two additional townships in Saran district: Sonpur (Harihar Nathpur) and Sitamarhi (Sitapuram).