GMADA Gets Environmental Clearance for 716-Acre Eco City-3 Township in New Chandigarh

The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has received environmental clearance for Eco City-3, a 716-acre integrated township planned across nine villages in the Mullanpur area of New Chandigarh. The Punjab State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) granted the approval, according to a TNN report carried by ET Realty on October 12, 2026. A senior GMADA official described the clearance as a significant milestone in the project’s regulatory process, but said further approvals and development activities will decide how quickly the project moves.

Key Details at a Glance

• Project: Eco City-3, New Chandigarh
• Size: 716 acres, integrated township
• Location: Nine villages in the Mullanpur area
• Clearance: Environmental clearance from SEIAA, Punjab
• Residential plots: Allotted through a draw of lots
• Commercial sites: Disposed of through open auction
• Policy: GMADA’s land-pooling policy

What Was Cleared

The report says the approval clears a major regulatory hurdle and opens the way for the next phase of planning and development. It describes Eco City-3 as a key urban expansion project for New Chandigarh.

Large township and area development projects generally need prior environmental clearance under India’s environmental impact assessment rules before work can proceed. The report does not say which category or threshold applies to Eco City-3, so this is general background and not a detail of this specific approval.

The report also does not give the date of the clearance, any conditions attached to it, or whether a single order covers the full 716 acres. These details could not be independently verified from the available sources.

Where the Township Will Come Up

According to a public notice issued by GMADA, Eco City-3 will be developed on land in nine villages: Rasulpur, Salamatpur, Dhode Majra, Takipur, Rajgarh, Majra, Kartarpur, Kansala and Hoshiarpur. The project envisages residential and commercial development and is expected to add significantly to the region’s housing inventory, the report says.

The report does not state how many plots, homes or commercial sites are planned, or what sizes they will be. The scale of the addition to housing supply therefore cannot be put in numbers from this report.

How Plots Will Be Allotted

Residential plots under the project will be allotted through a draw of lots. Commercial sites will be disposed of through open auction.

The scheme is being developed under GMADA’s land-pooling policy, under which landowners become partners in the development process. The report does not set out the terms offered to those landowners, such as the share of developed land that returns to them.

Landowners and buyers can read more about how land conversion affects property use and valuation, although the article does not establish the conversion status of any particular Eco City-3 parcel.

The report also gives no dates for the draw or the auction, no prices and no application process.

What the Clearance Does and Does Not Mean

Environmental clearance is one step in a longer regulatory process. The GMADA official cited in the report said further approvals and development activities will determine the pace of execution. The headline says the township is “set to take shape”, but the report supports a narrower reading: the clearance enables the next planning phase.

The report does not say that construction has begun or that allotment has opened. It also does not name which other approvals remain. This article does not assume any of these.

Eco City-4 and the Wider New Chandigarh Plan

The clearance is expected to accelerate GMADA’s plans for New Chandigarh, where multiple development projects are currently under way, according to the report. The authority is also moving ahead with Eco City-4, a proposed residential township spread over around 526 acres.

The report does not name the other projects under way. It gives no status for Eco City-4 beyond calling it proposed.

For a wider view of planning and land-use proposals in Punjab, readers can also refer to the Rajpura Master Plan 2031 and its proposed residential, commercial and infrastructure uses. Rajpura is a separate location, so this link is a regional planning context rather than information about Eco City-3 itself.

Planned Design Features

Officials said the Eco City projects are designed to promote planned urban growth through low-density residential development, wider roads, larger plot sizes and underground utility infrastructure. These are stated design aims. The report does not confirm that any of these features has been built. It does not specify road widths, plot sizes or density limits.

What the Report Does Not Say

Several details readers may look for are absent. The report does not give:

• The date of the clearance or its conditions
• The number of plots or commercial sites
• Plot sizes, prices, or draw and auction dates
• The terms for landowners under land pooling
• The name of the GMADA official quoted
• The project’s cost or construction timeline

What Happens Next

The report gives no timeline. GMADA has said that further approvals and development activities will shape the pace of execution. For now, the confirmed developments are the environmental clearance itself and the allotment method already announced: a draw of lots for residential plots and open auction for commercial sites.

For buyers comparing property values in the wider region, Punjab’s collector rates for residential and commercial properties may provide useful background on government valuation benchmarks. These rates should not be treated as Eco City-3 plot prices or as a substitute for an official scheme notification.