The Noida authority on Wednesday initiated the process to select an agency for its long-delayed Habitat Centre project in Sector 94, issuing a fresh expression of interest (EOI) after earlier attempts stalled due to funding and execution setbacks.
This ₹684-crore project is proposed to be built on the Delhi-Noida border near Kalindi Kunj but was delayed first due to Covid pandemic and later due to fund issues, said authority officials.
“To select an agency for this project, we have again issued an expression of interest (EOI) inviting proposals from interested parties. Once the bids are submitted, we will select the agency in accordance with rules,” said SP Singh, general manager, Noida authority.
Envisioned on the lines of Delhi’s India Habitat Centre, the Habitat Centre in Noida will come up 97,000 square metres in Sector 94. It is proposed to house an auditorium, art gallery, open-air theatre and food court with connectivity via the Okhla Bird Sanctuary metro station. Provisions will also be made to ensure adequate parking facilities.
“The authority wanted to build the Habitat Centre with a view to encourage cultural activities in the city and to provide a platform for art exhibitions, theatre performances, seminars and panel discussions. The project was planned on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis under the design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) model. The Master Plan 2031 details the development of the Noida Habitat Centre in Sector 94 and the agency will develop it as per the provisions of this plan,” said a Noida authority official, asking not to be named.
Officials said work on 31-storey building was scheduled to begin in 2020 as four agencies had applied to take up the project. But later, no company could qualify for it.
In 2021, Noida awarded the tender to Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Ltd (UPRNNL) but it was slow in executing civil work. By August 2022, only about 4% progress was made, with officials also finding gross negligence. The tender was cancelled after the firm sublet the contract to a third party that allegedly sold excavated soil from the site illegally.
As per the present EOI document, applicants must be single entities, as consortiums are not allowed. The agency must have a minimum average annual turnover of ₹1,500 crore for general developers and ₹2,000 crore for infrastructure developers over the past five financial years.A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for April 21, while the last date for submission of applications is May 15, 2026.
Officials said the Habitat Centre is intended to create a dedicated space for conferences, exhibitions and cultural events in Noida, reducing reliance on Delhi while catering to the city’s expanding population.