Lucknow : The much-hyped Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) project, initiated during the tenure of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav, has now become a stark symbol of rampant corruption and failed governance. The project, envisioned as a tribute to freedom fighter Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, has remained incomplete despite massive cost escalations and multiple revisions.
On Thursday, the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet took a decisive step to dissolve the JPNIC Society, a body created by the previous SP government to manage the project. The cabinet also transferred the operation and maintenance of the centre to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), aiming to bring transparency and efficiency into the long-stalled project.
Project Cost Tripled, Yet Remained Incomplete
Launched in 2013, the JPNIC project had an initial cost estimate of Rs 421.93 crore. However, it saw repeated cost revisions—first to Rs 615.44 crore, then Rs 757.68 crore, and finally Rs 864.99 crore by November 2016. Of this, Rs 821.74 crore has already been spent, but the centre remains non-functional, raising serious questions about financial mismanagement.
Society Turned into a Corruption Tool
The formation of the JPNIC Society by the SP government was touted as a means to ensure efficient operations. However, the society allegedly became a hub for irregular contracts and fund misallocation, benefiting contractors and party loyalists. The Yogi government has now dismantled this structure, labelling it a “corruption vehicle in the guise of governance.”
Ghost Structure with Grand Promises
Spread across 18.6 acres, JPNIC was supposed to feature a convention centre, 107-room luxury hotel, spa, gym, Olympic-sized swimming pool, 7-storey parking for 591 cars, and a museum dedicated to Jayaprakash Narayan’s life. Today, the structure stands abandoned due to safety issues and incomplete construction.
Yogi Government’s Crackdown and Audit Action
After coming to power in 2017, the Yogi government initiated a comprehensive audit of the project. An independent investigation by RITES Limited, a Government of India undertaking, found serious irregularities. The security deposit of ₹2.5 crore from a vendor was seized, and action was initiated against erring officials.
An inflated revised proposal of Rs 925.42 crore to complete the project was rejected by the government for lacking feasibility. Instead, LDA proposed a public-private partnership model, including revenue-sharing and leasing, where private agencies would complete the interior work without burdening the state exchequer.
Cabinet Decision a Path to Completion
By transferring JPNIC to LDA, the state government intends to finally operationalize the long-delayed project and ensure public benefit. The LDA will recover previously incurred structural costs from private operators over time, transforming the idle asset into a functional public utility.
SP’s “Dream Project” Exposed
The BJP government has called JPNIC a glaring example of SP’s corrupt practices, saying it exposes the hollowness behind its proclaimed socialism. The SP, meanwhile, has often tried to stir controversy over the project, even garlanding a statue of Jayaprakash Narayan at its office to claim ideological ownership, despite mismanaging the project in practice.
Legacy of Betrayal and Loot
The so-called world-class project, promised by the SP, turned into a wasteland of public funds. The Yogi government’s latest move is not only an attempt to revive a failed dream but also a bold strike against institutionalized corruption, sending a clear message: development must be accountable, transparent, and people-centric. This decisive action is being seen as a symbolic closure of a dark chapter and a new beginning in delivering on public infrastructure without political patronage and corruption.
