Nava Raipur, officially Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, is a planned city in the Raipur district of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Conceived as a greenfield capital township to relieve congestion in the historic city of Raipur, it serves as the administrative seat for several departments of the Government of Chhattisgarh and houses the new Mantralaya (state secretariat) and Vidhan Sabha-related offices.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Nava Raipur Atal Nagar |
| State | Chhattisgarh |
| District | Raipur |
| Country | India |
| Type | Planned greenfield city |
| Development authority | Nava Raipur Atal Nagar Vikas Pradhikaran (NRANVP) |
| Purpose | Administrative capital township of Chhattisgarh |
After the formation of Chhattisgarh as a separate state on 1 November 2000, the existing city of Raipur was designated as the state capital. Owing to space constraints and the need for organised expansion of administrative, residential and commercial facilities, the state government initiated the development of a new capital city in the vicinity of Raipur. The project was envisaged as a modern, planned township with dedicated zones for government offices, residential neighbourhoods, institutional areas and green spaces.
The township was originally referred to as Naya Raipur. In 2018, the Government of Chhattisgarh renamed it Nava Raipur Atal Nagar in memory of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during whose tenure the state of Chhattisgarh was created.
The development of the city is overseen by the Nava Raipur Atal Nagar Vikas Pradhikaran (NRANVP), the statutory body responsible for planning, land allotment, infrastructure provision and regulation within the notified area. The master plan divides the city into sectors with provisions for government, institutional, residential, commercial and recreational use.
Nava Raipur is located to the south-east of Raipur city, in close proximity to Swami Vivekananda Airport at Mana. Its position along the corridor connecting Raipur with the airport and major highways was a key factor in the choice of site, providing road and air connectivity for a capital township.
As one of the few greenfield state capital projects undertaken in India after independence, Nava Raipur represents an attempt at decongesting an existing capital while creating a planned environment for governance, institutions and residential growth. It is intended to function alongside Raipur, with the older city retaining its commercial and historical character and the new city accommodating administrative and institutional expansion.