Lucknow : Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performed the Bhoomi Pujan for 14 development projects worth more than ₹100 crore at Lucknow Cantonment on August 30, 2026. Two of these projects are being implemented in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Government.
The projects cover a wide range of areas, including civic amenities, sanitation, water supply, education, healthcare, sports and urban infrastructure. Among the major initiatives are an Artificial Intelligence-based Solid Waste Management Plant, Multi-Utility Sports Complex, Modern Crematorium, 1,500 KL Underground Reservoir, replacement of old water-supply pipelines and construction of eight tubewells equipped with SCADA automation.
The development package also includes Overhead Water Tanks with SCADA, a Special School for Differently Abled Children, additional classrooms and toilets at RA Bazar Madhyamik Vidyalaya and Rainbow Model School, a Multi-Level Robotic Car Parking and Commercial Complex, and Legacy Waste Bio-Mining and Bio-Remediation.
The two projects being undertaken jointly with the state government are the RA Bazar City Polyclinic and the Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Coaching Centre, aimed at strengthening healthcare and educational support in the cantonment area.
On the occasion, Rajnath Singh and Yogi Adityanath also joined around 4,000 people in listening to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme.
Addressing the gathering, Rajnath Singh said the projects represent a comprehensive effort to improve the quality of life in Lucknow Cantonment by upgrading essential services such as education, healthcare, water supply, sanitation, cleanliness and sports facilities.
He stressed that the development of Lucknow Cantonment is closely connected with the overall progress of Lucknow and said that coordinated efforts by the Centre and the State can accelerate development and strengthen good governance.
Rajnath Singh also linked the initiatives with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, saying that development should not be measured only through large infrastructure projects or modern buildings. According to him, a developed India must also ensure quality education for children, clean drinking water for every household, opportunities for young people to pursue sports and talent, and an inclusive society where differently-abled children are not left behind.
The Raksha Mantri also highlighted the renaming of several markets in Lucknow Cantonment as part of an effort to reconnect public spaces with India’s history and freedom struggle. Royal Artillery Bazar has been renamed Ekta Bazar, British Cavalry Bazar as Uda Devi Bazar, and British Infantry Bazar as Matadin Valmiki Bazar. Another British Infantry Bazar has been renamed Mangal Pandey Bazar, while Kanedy Market has been renamed Atal Bihari Vajpayee Market.
Rajnath Singh said the renaming initiative seeks to bring younger generations closer to the country’s heritage, national icons and history, while inspiring them towards public service and nation-building.
The event was attended by UP Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak, UP Minister of State Asim Arun, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma, Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharwal, Director General of Defence Estates Shobha Gupta, HAL CMD Ravi K, BEL CMD Manoj Jain, along with senior officials from the Defence Forces, Central and State Governments and the Lucknow Cantonment Board.
The projects mark a significant push to modernise Lucknow Cantonment, with the Centre and Uttar Pradesh Government joining hands to strengthen essential public services while creating more inclusive, technology-driven and citizen-focused infrastructure.