Lucknow, Dec 27 (IANS): The Yogi Adityanath Government is planning to restrict the height of new structures around religious and other significant buildings in cities like Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Mathura-Vrindavan.

The Chief Minister has told officials that this is designed “to maintain the ancient and historical essence of such religious cities which are renowned for their temples and other significant buildings.”

“No structure exceeding the height of temples and sacred buildings should be allowed and this regulation should be incorporated into the master plan,” Yogi said.

There should be no building higher than the religious shrine in any particular area and within a specified distance, he added.

Reviewing the status of each of the cities, he said that traffic management was a major concern and electric buses should be given preference over those run on conventional fuel.

He said that multi-level parking should also be developed.

“Every major city in the state holds vast potential. During the Global Investors Summit-2023, substantial investment has been made in every district. It is imperative to identify designated areas for crucial facilities such as Medicity, Sports City, Education City, and convention centres.

“It is also essential to allocate 15-16 per cent of the total area as reserved green space within the master plan of every city. No new colony should be allowed in green belts. Where new colonies are developed, basic facilities such as roads, sewage, electricity and water should be provided,” he said and stressed the need for development and conservation of natural lakes and reservoirs.

Laying emphasis on the need to promote the housing sector, he said that it had a significant role in pushing the state’s economy towards its goal of $1 trillion and added that new townships should be developed near Special Economic Zones and industrial areas.

“No illegal settlement should be allowed anywhere. Similarly, suitable infrastructure should be developed in every city to host national and international events. All development authorities should establish convention centres with world-class facilities,” he said.

Discussing Gorakhpur specifically, the Chief Minister said that the current population of Gorakhpur development area, which was about 14 lakh could increase to 25 lakh in the next 10 years and to 50 lakh by 2047.

“Gorakhpur and other areas of Purvanchal are showing tremendous scope for helping the state achieve its target of a $1 trillion economy. Gorakhpur city will have to be positioned as dynamic and inclusive. It should be a gateway for the entire region. There should be planned efforts for terracotta development,” he said.