The Vision and Master Plan Behind Dholera Smart City
Envisioned as India’s first greenfield smart city, Dholera represents a quantum leap in urban planning. Located approximately 100 km southwest of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, this megaproject spans 920 sq km – nearly twice the size of Mumbai. Anchored by the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR), it operates under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) initiative, aiming to become a global manufacturing and trading hub. The city’s blueprint integrates sustainability with cutting-edge technology, featuring dedicated zones for industries, logistics, residential areas, recreational spaces, and administrative functions. A sophisticated digital infrastructure backbone will enable real-time data monitoring for utilities, traffic, security, and environmental management.
The development adopts a phased approach, with the Activation Area covering 22.5 sq km serving as the initial nucleus. Here, trunk infrastructure including wide roads, underground utility corridors, water treatment plants, and solar-powered street lighting is nearing completion. The city prioritizes renewable energy with a dedicated 11,000 MW solar park nearby. Water management systems incorporate rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling, targeting 100% reuse. Urban planners emphasize walkability, cycling tracks, and electric vehicle corridors to minimize carbon footprint. This holistic design positions Dholera not merely as an industrial zone but as a livable, future-ready metropolis.
Investors eyeing opportunities should note the project’s governance structure. The Dholera Industrial City Development Limited (DICDL), a joint venture between the Government of India, Gujarat government, and National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation, ensures streamlined approvals and policy stability. Recent dholera smart city project updates highlight accelerated land allotments to major corporations in electronics, engineering, and pharmaceuticals. The regulatory framework offers incentives like tax holidays and simplified compliance under the Gujarat Special Investment Region Act. For deeper insights into strategic land acquisition and industrial opportunities within this transformative zone, explore comprehensive resources at dholera smart city.
Dholera SIR: Catalyst for Economic Transformation
The Dholera Special Investment Region forms the economic engine of this ambitious undertaking. Designated as a Special Investment Zone, DSIR offers world-class industrial infrastructure with plug-and-play facilities to attract high-value manufacturing. Its strategic location provides multimodal connectivity: proximity to the upcoming Dholera International Airport, direct access to the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), and linkage to National Highway 751. This positions Dholera as a pivotal node for export-oriented industries targeting Middle Eastern, African, and European markets. The SIR encompasses six specialized zones: global manufacturing, IT innovation, biotechnology, logistics, energy, and knowledge hubs.
Recent industrial commitments validate its potential. Companies like Tata Steel, Schneider Electric, and Hindustan Semiconductor have secured land parcels, with investments exceeding ₹50,000 crore already pledged. The zone emphasizes advanced sectors such as semiconductor fabrication, electric vehicle manufacturing, and aerospace components. Employment generation projections estimate over 800,000 jobs within the next decade. Unlike conventional industrial parks, DSIR integrates work-live-play ecosystems with residential townships, educational campuses, and healthcare facilities co-located within the industrial precincts. This model reduces commute times and enhances workforce productivity.
Key infrastructure milestones are reshaping the investment landscape. The 76-km six-lane expressway connecting Dholera to Ahmedabad reduces travel time to 75 minutes, effectively integrating the smart city with Gujarat’s economic capital. The operational Sabarmati Freight Terminal on the DFC handles container traffic destined for DSIR. Water security is ensured through the filled Dholera Reservoir and the completed Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) pipeline. Power redundancy comes from multiple substations and the nearby wind-solar hybrid park. These developments transform DSIR from concept to concrete opportunity, offering investors a first-mover advantage in India’s largest greenfield industrial smart city.
Revolutionary Infrastructure: Airport, Connectivity, and Urban Ecosystems
Transportation infrastructure forms the cornerstone of Dholera’s functionality. The upcoming Dholera International Airport (DIA), sanctioned as India’s second greenfield airport under the UDAN scheme, is poised to become a cargo and passenger aviation hub. With a 3,200-meter runway capable of handling Airbus A380 aircraft and projected capacity of 20 million passengers annually, DIA will serve both the smart city and the broader Saurashtra region. Its strategic location near the Delhi-Mumbai highway and DFC enables seamless multimodal logistics. The airport’s first phase, targeting operational status by 2026, includes MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) facilities attracting aviation giants like Airbus and Boeing.
Urban mobility within Dholera redefines smart living. The city features a grid-based road network with intelligent traffic management systems, reducing congestion through predictive analytics. A dedicated BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) corridor and proposed metro connectivity to Ahmedabad ensure efficient intra-city and inter-city transit. The underground utility corridor – a first for India – consolidates electricity, water, gas, and telecom lines, eliminating road digging and ensuring uninterrupted services. Digital infrastructure includes a centralized command center monitoring energy consumption, waste management via automated pneumatic collection systems, and integrated building management systems across commercial complexes.
Current dholera smart city project updates reveal significant residential and social infrastructure advancements. Over 5,000 affordable housing units are under construction in the activation area, compliant with global sustainability standards. Educational institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Dholera and Skill Development Centers are operational. Healthcare infrastructure includes a 500-bed multi-specialty hospital and telemedicine facilities. Recreational zones like the 1.5-km waterfront along the Gulf of Khambhat and central parks leverage the city’s coastal location. These elements collectively establish Dholera not as an isolated industrial enclave but as a self-sustaining urban ecosystem, setting benchmarks for future smart city projects in Gujarat and beyond.
Milanese fashion-buyer who migrated to Buenos Aires to tango and blog. Chiara breaks down AI-driven trend forecasting, homemade pasta alchemy, and urban cycling etiquette. She lino-prints tote bags as gifts for interviewees and records soundwalks of each new barrio.
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