City Highlights
Dholera International Airport
Dholera International Airport is a greenfield airport project in Gujarat, India, being built near Navagam in the Dholera taluka of Ahmedabad district as part of the Dholera Smart City project. The site spans 1,426 hectares, about 80 kilometres from Ahmedabad and around 20 kilometres from the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR).
The airport is being developed by Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL), a joint venture of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Government of Gujarat, and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT). It features a 3,200-metre Code 4E runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, with an expected capacity of 50 million passengers per annum (MPPA).
Phase 1 civil works were completed in December 2025, with the runway, passenger terminal structure, cargo handling facility, and Air Traffic Control tower all in place. Calibration flights took place between January and February 2026, and full operational trials began in March 2026. Full passenger operations for Phase 1 are expected by December 2026, though this date has not been officially confirmed by AAI, and construction timelines in India often face delays, so this should be treated as a target rather than a guarantee.
Phase 2 will add more taxiways, a second runway, and additional terminal capacity to handle 30-50 million passengers annually, though specific timelines for this expansion have not yet been announced.
Expected Completion: Phase 1 operational trials underway (2026); full passenger operations targeted by December 2026
Administration Cum Business Center (ABC)
The ABCD Building, short for Administration cum Business Centre for Dholera, is the central administrative hub of the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) and one of the first major landmarks completed within Dholera Smart City. It serves as the command and control facility for the entire smart city, overseeing governance, business facilitation, and investor services from one location.
Located in the commercial zone of TP2 West (Phase 1) within the 22.5 sq km Activation Area, the building has a total built-up area of 36,000 sq m and was constructed to LEED Gold green building standards. It monitors and manages city operations across departments including traffic and transportation, water and power supply, and security and surveillance, with ICT and SCADA sensors installed across the city sending real-time alerts to the building so departments can take quick corrective action.
The ABCD Building provides single-window clearance for legal approvals and permissions, making it the first stop for businesses and investors looking to set up operations in Dholera. It enjoys strong connectivity, sitting close to the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway and around 20 km from the upcoming Dholera International Airport.
As of 2026, the building is fully constructed and operational, continuing to serve as the administrative and operational backbone supporting Dholera’s growth into a global smart manufacturing, residential, and economic hub.
Status: Completed and operational
Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway
Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway (NE-08) is a 109 km long, four-lane greenfield expressway in Gujarat, designed to be expandable to eight lanes. It runs from Sardar Patel Ring Road near Sarkhej in Ahmedabad to Adhelai village in Bhavnagar district, passing through the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR). The proposed Dholera International Airport near Navagam, about 20 km from DSIR, also sits along this route.
Built under the Bharatmala Pariyojana as part of the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) at a cost of around ₹5,100-5,800 crore, the expressway was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 March 2026. With this, the travel time between Ahmedabad and Dholera has come down from roughly 2 hours to around 45 minutes, a major shift for daily commuters, industries, and logistics operators in the region.
The expressway now serves as the main connectivity backbone for Dholera SIR, linking it directly to Ahmedabad’s commercial centre and the upcoming Dholera International Airport. Future plans include expanding the corridor to accommodate even more traffic as the Dholera Smart City project grows.
Status: Operational since 31 March 2026
Dholera Solar Park
The Dholera Solar Park is one of India’s largest renewable energy clusters and a key component of the Dholera Smart City project. Classified as an Ultra Mega Solar Power Project by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, it is planned to reach a total capacity of 5,000 MW (5 GW) by 2030. Its location near the Gulf of Khambhat also offers added advantages for coastal infrastructure development.
The Government of Gujarat approved the project in April 2018, and auctions held in 2020 saw strong investor demand, with several companies allotted 100-200 MW each at competitive tariffs. Major players such as Tata Power Solar and ReNew Power have since taken up plots within the park as part of its phased development.
As of 2026, the solar park is operational and progressing through its Phase I expansion toward a 1,000 MW capacity, with development running parallel to other major infrastructure milestones like AI-integrated power management systems being rolled out across Dholera Smart City. It continues to be cited as a benchmark for green energy integration as the wider Dholera Smart City project moves toward full operational readiness.
Together with the now-operational Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway and the upcoming international airport, the solar park strengthens Dholera’s position as a hub for clean-energy and industrial investment, supporting India’s broader renewable energy targets.
Status: Operational, scaling toward 1,000 MW (Phase I) en route to the 5,000 MW target by 2030
