Dholera Smart Industrial City to Drive the Vision of New India: CM Bhupendra Patel
Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has expressed strong confidence that the Dholera Smart Industrial City will play a pivotal role in fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a New India. He made these remarks during the second meeting of the Apex Committee of the National Industrial Corridor Development Program, held in New Delhi and chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in attendance.
The meeting, attended virtually by Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, along with state industry ministers, highlighted Dholera’s rapid progress. Patel noted that the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) has been equipped with world-class infrastructure and a robust ecosystem for industrial growth.
An SPV — Dholera Industrial City Development Limited — jointly supported by the State and Central Governments, has been tasked with developing core infrastructure in the activation area. Patel revealed that infrastructure work here is nearing completion, and land allotment to investors has already begun. Proposals for schools, hospitals, hotels, and residential townships are under review, including the construction of 600 affordable rental housing units under the PMAY model.
Connectivity projects are also moving forward. The Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway, part of the Bharatmala project, has achieved over 38% progress, with full state support pledged to NHAI for timely completion. The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) will further boost logistics, and the Bhimnath-Dholera rail line has received necessary approvals, with land acquisition in its final stage.
Dholera’s development details have been integrated into the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, ensuring better coordination of infrastructure projects. Patel urged the Union Government to expedite approvals for the Dholera International Airport and the Ahmedabad-Dholera Semi High-Speed Rail Project.
He also proposed including the Mandal Bachchaji Special Investment Region in the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, stating that full central cooperation is essential to unlock the region’s complete industrial potential.
