LUCKNOW, Sept. 8 -- Lucknow's growth story is set to be planned beyond the city's boundaries, with the proposed Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region (UP SCR) crossing its first major hurdle on Tuesday as its review committee approved the base map for the six-district region. The UPSCR, comprising Lucknow, Sitapur, Unnao, Hardoi, Barabanki and Rae Bareli and spanning 26,741 sq km, will now move towards a GIS-based regional master plan to coordinate urban expansion, infrastructure and economic development.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant at the Lucknow Development Authority's (LDA) Parijat auditorium. The base map will now be placed before the UPSCR executive committee, after ...