Dholera International Airport

Dholera International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorAirports Authority of India (AAI)/DIACL
ServesDholera Special Investment Region
LocationDholera, Ahmedabad district, Gujarat, India
OpenedDecember 2025; 1 year's time (2025-12)[1]
Coordinates22°35′22″N 72°28′06″E / 22.58944°N 72.46833°E / 22.58944; 72.46833
Map
Dholera International Airport is located in Gujarat
Dholera International Airport
Dholera International Airport
Location of the airport in Gujarat
Dholera International Airport is located in India
Dholera International Airport
Dholera International Airport
Dholera International Airport (India)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
10,500 3,200

Dholera International Airport (IATA: none, ICAO: none) is an under-construction international airport and a greenfield airport, which will serve the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) in Gujarat, India. It is being built near Navagam in the Dholera taluka of Ahmedabad district. The project site is spread over 1,426 hectares[2] about 80 km (50 mi) from Ahmedabad and around 20 km (12 mi) from the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR).[3] 75 hectares of government land has been allocated for commercial development.[4]

The airport would serve the logistics requirements of the DSIR, which is planned as a huge industrial township in the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project,[5] as well as to relieve congestion of the existing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport serving the cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat. It is expected to be commissioned by December 2025.[6]

Development

[edit]

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) inspected the site in January 2010 to carry out a techno-economical feasibility study[7] and gave its technical clearance the following month.[8] The project received "site clearance" from the central government in July 2014.[9] The Environment Ministry gave its approval in December 2015.[10]

Dholera International Airport Company Ltd (DIACL) was set up in 2012 by the State Government of Gujarat as a special-purpose vehicle to develop the airport. The Airports Authority of India picked up a 51% stake in DIACL in 2018. Following this, the Gujarat government holding dropped to 33% while the remaining 16% is held by the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC).[11]

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State Government in January 2019 for the construction of airport.[12][13] In 2021, the Airport Authority of India released a Rs. 987 crore tender for Phase 1 of airport project.[4] Phase 1 civil works involved construction of the airport’s infrastructure including a 3,200 metre long runway suitable for 4E category aircraft, taxiways, aprons and road network. The contract was awarded to Jodhpur-based Varaha Infrastructure in June 2021 which was the lowest bidder at 636.45 crores.[14]

In June 2022, the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the development of Phase I at an estimated cost of Rs. 1305 crore, to be completed within 48 months.[15]

In January 2024, DIACL awarded a Rs 333 crore EPC contract to Ahmedabad-based Yashnand Engineers and Contractors. The scope of the contract includes the construction of a new integrated passenger terminal building, ATC tower, cargo complex, and environmental support services (ESS) among others, with a construction deadline of 18 months.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Greenfield Airport at Dholera likely to be ready by December 2025: Govt". Dholera Metro City. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Dholera airport work to take off in Q3 of FY'16". The Times of India. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  3. ^ "PM Narendra Modi-govt grants 'site clearance' to Gujarat's Dholera airport". The Financial Express (India). 21 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Coming up: Gujarat's Largest airport". Outlook. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Nod for Dholera airport a push for Delhi-Mumbai corridor". Business Standard. 3 January 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Greenfield Airport at Dholera likely to be ready by December 2025: Govt". Dholera Metro City. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  7. ^ "AAI team inspects site for greenfield airport in Ahmedabad". Daily News & Analysis. 23 January 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Federa airport gets AAI nod". Daily News & Analysis. 11 February 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Site Clearance for Dholera Airport Project". Press Information Bureau. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Gujarat's Dholera airport project gets Centre's green nod". Business Standard. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  11. ^ "AAI to pick 51% stake in Dholera International Airport". The Financial Express (India). 28 November 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  12. ^ "MoUs inked for airports at Dholera, Ankleshwar". Times of India. 20 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  13. ^ "6 years on, ground work on Dholera airport yet to start". The Indian Express. 2019-02-22. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  14. ^ "Varaha Wins Dholera Airport Phase 1's Construction Work". The Metro Rail Guy. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Dholera Airport: Phase I of new greenfield airport gets Cabinet approval". Business Today. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Ahmedabad's Second Airport At Dholera: AAI Awards Rs 333-Crore Contract To Yashnand Engineers for Terminal Buildingl". India Infrahub. 7 January 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.