All construction activities and land transactions have been prohibited in certain areas of Gaya district as the state government advances with an ambitious satellite township development initiative and a long-awaited master plan to direct future urban growth. The restrictions, intended to prevent disorganized development in designated planning zones, will remain effective until March 31, 2027, as stated in an official notification.
According to the government order, construction activities and land transactions are banned in two wards of the Gaya Municipal Corporation (GMC) — specifically, ward numbers 29 and 46 — as well as in 20 wards of the Bodh Gaya Nagar Parishad. Ward number 29 is situated on the western outskirts of Gaya town, while ward number 46 is located in the southern section of the city.
Officials indicated that the Bodh Gaya Nagar Parishad has been more significantly affected by this decision, with restrictions now in place for 20 out of its 33 wards. The ban aims to avert disorganized development in areas earmarked for inclusion in the proposed master plan and satellite township framework, which seeks to manage planned urban growth.
Authorities have yet to evaluate the impact of the ban on major ongoing projects such as the Vishnupad Temple Corridor in Gaya and the Mahabodhi Temple Corridor in Bodh Gaya. They noted that the forthcoming master plan will need to be coordinated with the existing corridor development proposals. Further clarity on this matter is anticipated in the near future. In addition to municipal regions, the ban also impacts 80 revenue villages distributed across three community development blocks — Gaya Town, Bodh Gaya, and Paraiyya.
The Bodh Gaya block has been identified as the most affected, with restrictions enforced in 55 revenue villages. In the Gaya Town block, construction and land transactions have been suspended in 19 revenue villages, while the Paraiyya block experiences the least impact, with only six villages subject to the ban.
Within the GMC area, both Magadh Colony and Shastri Nagar have been included in the scope of the restriction. Among the villages impacted in the Gaya Town block is Hario village, which is of strategic significance due to the ongoing land acquisition for the expansion of the Gaya airport runway.
Airport officials clarified that the current runway, measuring 2,285 metres in length and 45 metres in width, is not capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft at this time. To render the airport suitable for such operations, an extension of at least 500 metres in length and an additional 15 metres in width is necessary. Local experts have noted that Gaya’s previous master plan was established in the 1960s.
Lalji Prasad, a former member of the GMC standing committee, stated that the validity of that plan lapsed over twenty years ago, leaving the city without an approved master plan since then, which emphasizes the necessity of the current initiative.
