Dholera InternatIonal aIrport

The Dholera International Airport would be located at Navagam Village ofTaluka Dholera, District Ahmedabad. The proposed airport is very close to the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR), which is an upcoming industrial and residential hub within the influence zone of DMIC with a total developable area of 560sq km. The airport will contribute in strengthening both international and domestic networks for people and goods, thus enhancing the economic development of the surrounding industrial area and eventually the development of India.

Dholera airport will serve the nearby cities like Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar, Nadiad and Anand and spill over passenger and cargo traffic from the existing Ahmedabad Airport, which is likely to be saturated soon. Expansion of the existing Ahmedabad Airport area is difficult because the surrounding area of the airport had already been developed into an urban area. Also, lack of land for expansion of runway and partial taxiway are major constraints for efficient running of the airport.

The state has formed a Special Purpose Vehicle, the Dholera International Airport Company Ltd (DIACL), to facilitate the project in PPP Model adhering to the guidelines of the Greenfield Airport Policy of Government of India.

The DIACL has received approvals like No Objection from the Ministry of Defense, Site Clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Environmental Clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and in-principle approval from Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The Government of Gujarat has planned to develop a special industrial region in Dholera and the region is expected to attract heavy investments, especially from the manufactur- ing sector. It has reserved around 1426 Ha of land in Navagam Village for the airport. As per AAI DPR, this land can accommodate two parallel runways (2910 metres and 4000 metres) with parallel taxiways. DIACL is also aiming to develop an Aviation Zone in the government land parcels (approximately 2600 Ha), close to the airport site. While granting in-principle approval, the Steering Committee of MoCA has also stressed upon development of the Aviation Zone. The planning of airport along with MRO and Aviation Zone would emerge as a first-of-its-kind Aerotropolis. This would consists of aircrafts parts manufacturing, aviation academic/training institutions and all types of MRO services like body, engine, paint and airframe. The highlights of the project are:

The airport is strategically located among the big cities of the state like Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, Anand etc., while also connecting several international air routes.

The measurement and demarcation of the site is carried out by the District Inspector of Land Records.

Dholera is connected with national and state highways. Already, work in underway to convert 2-lane state highway from Bagodara to Pipli into a 4-lane highway

Detailed feasibility report has been prepared.

Stone pegs are placed on 182 peripheral boundary points DMICDC has an equity stake in DIACL PwC India has been appointed as Transaction Advisor for the Development of Dholera Airport and Aviation Zone.

The development of the airport project will also boost tourism in the Kutch and Saurashtra region and help generate bright employment and business opportunities.