Dholera: India’s Futuristic Megacity Rising from the Dust

The Vision Behind Dholera Smart City: More Than Just Concrete

Envisioned as India’s largest greenfield smart city project, Dholera represents a quantum leap in urban planning. Located approximately 100 kilometers southwest of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, this ambitious initiative spans 920 square kilometers—twice the size of Mumbai. It’s the flagship node of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), strategically positioned to become a global manufacturing and trading hub. Unlike retrofitted smart cities, Dholera is being built from scratch on barren land near the Gulf of Khambhat, allowing engineers to embed cutting-edge technology directly into its DNA.

The city’s master plan integrates sustainability with industry, allocating 22% of land for industrial use, 17% for residential zones, and 13% for commercial districts. A high-speed metro rail will connect neighborhoods, while an automated waste collection system and AI-powered utilities promise unprecedented efficiency. Crucially, 40% of Dholera is reserved for green belts and water bodies, including a 11-km long canal inspired by Singapore’s Marina Bay. The project aims to attract $30 billion in investments and generate 800,000 jobs, positioning Gujarat as India’s answer to Shenzhen. For businesses, the city offers plug-and-play industrial clusters with pre-approved clearances, slashing setup timelines from years to months.

What truly sets Dholera apart is its resilience-focused design. Elevated roads prevent monsoon flooding, while underground utility tunnels eliminate road-digging chaos. The city will draw 80% of its energy from renewable sources, supported by a 6,000 MW solar park nearby. Every building mandate follows IGBC green norms, and sensor networks will monitor air quality, traffic flow, and energy usage in real-time. This holistic approach has already attracted multinational giants like Cisco, Hitachi, and Tata Group for pilot projects. The Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) Act provides a single-window clearance system, making it India’s most investor-friendly regulatory environment.

Special Investment Region: The Engine of Unprecedented Growth

Dholera SIR isn’t just another industrial zone—it’s a meticulously planned economic ecosystem governed by its own legal framework. Spanning 920 sq km, the SIR operates under the Gujarat Special Investment Region Act of 2009, which streamlines approvals and offers fiscal incentives like 100% stamp duty exemption and subsidized land leases. The region is divided into six specialized zones: global manufacturing, electronics innovation, pharmaceuticals, logistics parks, knowledge campuses, and leisure districts. This zoning ensures symbiotic industry clustering; for instance, medical device makers neighbor pharmaceutical giants to accelerate R&D.

Infrastructure here outshines any existing Indian industrial hub. A 34-meter-wide arterial road network with dedicated utility corridors runs beneath, while a 76-km high-speed rail link will connect Dholera to Ahmedabad in 45 minutes. The region boasts India’s first integrated water management system, treating 100% of wastewater for reuse in irrigation and industry. Power redundancy is guaranteed through three separate substations fed by national grids, solar parks, and wind farms. For investors, the SIR offers land at ₹1,200–1,500 per square meter—a fraction of metro city rates—with 99-year leases. Over 50 MOUs have been signed since 2021, including a $1.2 billion semiconductor plant and Asia’s largest drone manufacturing facility.

The SIR’s logistics advantage is transformative. It features a dedicated freight corridor (DFC) terminal linking to JNPT and Mundhra ports, reducing cargo transit time to 12 hours. The upcoming Dholera Airport, currently in advanced development stages, will handle 20 million passengers annually and include a dedicated cargo terminal. Proximity to the Delhi-Mumbai Highway (NH-48) and Pipavav Port further enhances connectivity. This multimodal access makes Dholera SIR uniquely positioned to export goods to ASEAN and Middle Eastern markets 40% faster than competitors. Current estimates suggest the SIR will contribute $40 billion to Gujarat’s GDP by 2040, justifying its “growth engine” epithet.

Breaking Ground: Current Developments Shaping Dholera’s Horizon

Construction milestones are now visibly transforming Dholera’s landscape. Phase 1 (22.5 sq km) is 60% complete, with 105 km of roads, 55 km of water pipelines, and a 6-lane expressway to Ahmedabad operational since 2023. The Dholera Solar Park—a 5,000 MW project—has commissioned its first 1,000 MW unit, powering initial industries. Most notably, the Dholera International Airport received final techno-feasibility approval in Q1 2024. Slated for completion by 2027, it will feature a 3.2 km runway capable of landing Airbus A380s, positioning it as Gujarat’s second international aviation hub after Ahmedabad.

Industrial activity is accelerating rapidly. The 1,100-acre Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) has attracted ₹22,000 crore in investments from Foxconn, Vedanta, and Micron for semiconductor and PCB units. Simultaneously, the GIDC-run Dholera Industrial City has allotted 400 plots to SMEs in auto-components and renewable energy sectors. Residential projects are also taking shape: the first 10,000 affordable apartments near the central business district are sold out, with developers launching premium waterfront villas along the Shetrunji River. The dholera smart city project update reveals that over ₹14,000 crore has been deployed in the last 24 months alone, primarily in trunk infrastructure.

Connectivity is seeing revolutionary upgrades. The Dholera-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (DAHSR), with Japanese Shinkansen technology, will reduce travel time between the cities to 30 minutes upon its 2028 launch. Four new highway spurs connecting to Bhavnagar, Vadodara, and Surat are under tender. Within the city, India’s first automated personal rapid transit (PRT) system—driverless pods on dedicated tracks—will begin trials in 2025. Meanwhile, the 17-km-long stormwater drainage system, designed for 100-year flood resilience, has proven its worth during recent monsoons. These advancements demonstrate how Dholera is transitioning from blueprints to bricks-and-mortar faster than any comparable global project.

Théo Legrand

Marseille street-photographer turned Montréal tech columnist. Théo deciphers AI ethics one day and reviews artisan cheese the next. He fences épée for adrenaline, collects transit maps, and claims every good headline needs a soundtrack.