Gujarat Govt Makes Provisions for Dholera Airport in Budget

8 March 2024 Dholera

Gujarat Govt Makes Provisions for Dholera Airport in Budget

For the financial year of 2024-25, the Gujarat Government has decided to present Rs 122.26 crores to Dholera International Airport Company under the state budget as their shared capital contribution. None of the new taxes were levied on people by Gujarat’s finance minister, Kanubhai Desai, who also provided on 2nd February a Rs 3.32 lakh crore state budget. A provision of Rs. 15.50 crore has been proposed by the government for Water Supply under state support by the Government of Gujarat to the Dholera Greenfield Airport Project.

Dholera is considered an ancient city with its roots in transportation through port. Situated in the Gulf of Khambat, Dholera is an upcoming megacity with a lot of potential for global investment and technology. Airports Authority of India (AAI), National Industrial Coordior Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) and the Government of Gujarat (GoG) have joined their hands and collaborated to make the Dholera Greenfield Airport a reality. In the first phase of the project, which is expected to be completed by 2026, the airport is reported to be able to manage around 1.5 million passengers, and another 50 million passengers are expected to be added to this number after the final completion of the project.

Saradar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is a very busy airport and frequently experiences a lot of overcrowding as it caters to both Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. After the Dholera airport, this problem will be solved and the logistical requirements of the DSIR will be fulfilled. This will help to uplift the heavy traffic from the current airport. Additionally, this large project is helping to create job opportunities in the present and for the future. Construction workers, Engineers, Airline and retail jobs, Tourism and hospitality, Aerospace and aircraft maintenance personnel would be required for the development and functioning of this International airport. With Dholera Smart City, the Gujarat Government is planning to create 30,000 job opportunities within the span of two to three years.

Dholera Airport shall enhance the connectivity manifold and also increase the investment opportunities in these smart cities. The Dholera Airport will serve as an open invitation for all global investors to park their funds in the city and earn exponential returns over a period of time. Overall this smart city will motivate the entrepreneurs to start their businesses because of their Plug and Play business model, wherein new businesses can easily start their production immediately by just purchasing the land and the other facilities will already be present.

This airport is strategically located near Navagam, within the Dholera taluka of the Ahmedabad district. The airport project covers an expansive area spanning 1,426 hectares, situated approximately 80 kilometers away from Ahmedabad and about 20 kilometers from the Dholera Special Investment Region.

The construction of the runways on the airport will be in two phases. While the second runway will be made in the second phase of the construction, the first one is planned to be about 4000 metres long, made during the first phase. The airport will also focus on other facilities like cargo terminals, car parking and recreational/hospitality services like convention centres and hotels. General employment opportunities will be given by conducting aviation-related activities in the area surrounding the airport.

Furthermore, for smooth transportation between Ahmedabad and Dholera to the upcoming airport, The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has acquired a 120-meter wide strip of land where 90 meters of the strip will be used to lay a 6-lane road directly leading to Dholera Airport and 30 meters is allocated for a metro rail link.

Steps to develop Gujarat have been taken where India’s first cargo-based as well as passenger-based airport is being built in a smart city. This will be a hub for the Aerospace and Defense industries as it is set to be Gujarat’s largest airport.