Senior Uttar Pradesh government officials on Sunday inspected the land in Sector 21 along the Yamuna Expressway earmarked for the Film City project.

Uttar Pradesh additional chief secretary (home and information) Awanish Kumar Awasthi, who visited the site along with others, directed Yamuna expressway industrial development authority (Yeida) to send a proposal to Film Bandhu, a state nodal agency for film projects, to get the ball rolling on the detailed project report.

The directions come a week after the Uttar Pradesh government on September 20 announced setting the Film City on a 1000-acre plot in Sector 21.

Awasthi, who was accompanied by Yeida’ chief executive officer, CEO, Arun Vir Singh and other senior officials of the authority, also instructed the staff to demarcate the boundary of the site where the Film City will come up.

“We will send the proposal about the project in the next 10 days to the state government, paving way for the detailed project report. The state government has put this project on fast-track and we are working on this project very seriously,” Singh said.

Once Yeida sends the proposal, the UP government will appoint a consultant to prepare a DPR for the project. The DPR will be made at earliest and no deadline has been fixed for it so far, said officials.

“We have started the process to hire a consultant who will make the DPR. Once the DPR is finalised, the project will witness further progress,” Awasthi said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had on September 18 announced setting up the country’s “biggest” and “most beautiful” film city in Gautam Budh Nagar and had instructed officials to search for land in or around Noida and Greater Noida.

“We have already acquired 835 acres agricultural land from farmers for the project. We have expedited the work to procure 165 acres of land for this project. All farmers from Rabupura village in Sector 21, where the Film City will come, are happy to give their land for the project,” Yeida CEO said.

Once ready, the Film City, located close to upcoming Noida International Greenfield Airport at Jewar, will house film studios, film academies among other facilities.

“The Film City will benefit not only aspiring filmmakers, actors, cameraman and technicians among others, but also the film industry at large at large as they will get a much needed facility for shooting at reasonable cost. The project will give a platform to local talent, groom them employ them,” said Piyush Singh, CEO, Vistas Media, a Singapore- based company keen to set up an international film Academy at the Film City. The firm had earlier this week submitted a proposal to Yeida to set up a film academy over 20 acres, with an initial investment of USD 10 million.