Dholera International Airport

The Dholera International Airport project continues to make rapid progress as one of India’s most strategic greenfield infrastructure developments, jointly driven by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Government of Gujarat, and Dholera Industrial City Development Limited (DICDL), through Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL).

• The project spans 1,426 hectares near Navagam village in the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR), forming a core part of India’s first greenfield smart city vision.
• Phase 1 civil construction was completed in December 2025, with calibration flights conducted between January and February 2026 and operational trials underway since March 2026.
• The airport features a 3,200 m Code 4E runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, along with a modern passenger terminal, ATC tower, and cargo handling facilities, with Phase 1 designed to support up to 50 million passengers per annum (MPPA).
• The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has officially confirmed in Parliament that the project remains on schedule for completion in 2026, with no deadline extensions.
• The ABCD Building, Dholera’s central command and administration hub, plays a coordinating role in the broader smart city infrastructure surrounding the airport, including design, safety, and logistics oversight.
• Designed as a smart, sustainable greenfield airport, it integrates solar power, automation, and eco-friendly systems in line with India’s smart urban development goals.
• Connectivity to the airport has taken a major leap with the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 March 2026, cutting travel time between Ahmedabad and Dholera to around 45 minutes. A high-speed rail line and proposed monorail are also planned to further strengthen access.
• Once fully operational, the airport will help decongest Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad and support rising international passenger and cargo traffic across western India.
• As part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), the airport is expected to accelerate industrial growth and commercial development across the wider Dholera SIR.
• Nearby developments, including the Dholera Solar Park (targeting 5,000 MW capacity), Dholera Port, and new residential and industrial clusters, are expanding rapidly alongside the airport.
• Steady appreciation in Dholera plot prices continues to be reported, driven by growing investor confidence as Dholera Smart City infrastructure becomes operational.
• The successful progress of Phase 1 is laying the groundwork for future expansion phases, including a second runway and additional terminal capacity to handle 30-50 million passengers annually.
• Positioned near the Gulf of Khambhat, the airport strengthens Gujarat’s global trade connectivity and reinforces Dholera’s role as a strategic logistics and export hub.
• Overall, the joint effort between AAI, DICDL, and DIACL continues to advance this landmark project, a strong example of India’s push toward innovation, sustainability, and world-class smart infrastructure.

Status: Phase 1 operational trials underway; full passenger operations targeted by December 2026