Mizoram eyes BSNL land bank in major cities for zero-cost development

The Mizoram government is considering the acquisition of land parcels owned by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited across several major Indian cities as part of a plan to develop state facilities without direct spending from the treasury, a senior official said on February 10.

The proposal centres on using alternative funding and construction partnerships to build on underutilised BSNL properties, allowing the state to expand its institutional footprint outside Mizoram while limiting financial exposure. Chief Minister Lalduhoma reviewed the progress of the plan during a meeting held on Monday and asked officials to speed up both acquisition and development processes.

To ensure professional handling of the project, Urban Infrastructure Management Services has been appointed as the Project Management Consultant through an open tender. The move follows preliminary talks held in July last year between the Chief Minister and the BSNL chairman-cum-managing director.

Officials said the consultant has already completed surveys in Delhi and the Beltola area of Guwahati, with site inspections underway. Lalduhoma has now asked the team to assess additional BSNL land holdings in Mumbai, Chennai, Vellore, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Shillong, signalling a wider national scope for the initiative.

The state is exploring what officials described as a “zero-cost” development model, relying on partnerships rather than budgetary allocations. Oversight of the project has been assigned to the Mizoram Tourism Development Authority under the General Administration Department, underscoring the government’s focus on strategic asset use and long-term returns.