According to a top official on Thursday, a plan to build eight new cities to lessen the population strain on the nation's existing major hubs is being considered.

According to MB Singh, director of the G20 unit of the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Department, the 15th Finance Commission had proposed in one of its findings that new cities be constructed.

On the margins of a gathering of the "Urban 20 (U20)" in Indore, Mr. Singh was speaking to Press Trust of India.

In order to ease the population pressure on the country's current major hubs, a top official said on Thursday that a plan to develop eight additional cities is being studied.

The construction of new cities was one of the recommendations made by the 15th Finance Commission, according to MB Singh, director of the G20 unit of the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Department.

Mr. Singh was speaking to Press Trust of India on the sidelines of an "Urban 20 (U20)" event in Indore.