Dholera International Airport Explained

Dholera International Airport
Type:Public
Owner-Oper:Airports Authority of India (AAI)/DIACL
City-Served:Dholera Special Investment Region
Location:Dholera, Gujarat, India
Opened:December 2025[1]
Coordinates:22.5894°N 72.4683°W
Pushpin Map:India Gujarat#India
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the airport in Gujarat
Pushpin Label:Dholera International Airport
Pushpin Label Position:right
R1-Length-F:10500
R1-Length-M:3200

Dholera International Airport 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 from Ahmedabad and around from the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR).[3] 75 hectares of government land has been allocated for commercial development.

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,[4] 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.[5]

Development

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) inspected the site in January 2010 to carry out a techno-economical feasibility study[6] and gave its technical clearance the following month.[7] The project received "site clearance" from the central government in July 2014.[8] The Environment Ministry gave its approval in December 2015.[9]

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).[10]

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State Government in January 2019 for the construction of airport.[11] [12] In 2021, the Airport Authority of India released a Rs. 987 crore tender for Phase 1 of airport project.[13] 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]

Notes and References

  1. News: Greenfield Airport at Dholera likely to be ready by December 2025: Govt. Dholera Metro City. 6 February 2023. 8 March 2023. en.
  2. News: Dholera airport work to take off in Q3 of FY’16. The Times of India. 25 June 2015. 25 June 2015.
  3. News: PM Narendra Modi-govt grants 'site clearance' to Gujarat's Dholera airport. The Financial Express (India). 28 July 2014. 21 July 2013.
  4. News: Nod for Dholera airport a push for Delhi-Mumbai corridor . Business Standard. 12 May 2018. 3 January 2016.
  5. News: Greenfield Airport at Dholera likely to be ready by December 2025: Govt. Dholera Metro City. 6 February 2023. 8 March 2023. en.
  6. News: AAI team inspects site for greenfield airport in Ahmedabad. Daily News & Analysis. 28 July 2014. 23 January 2010.
  7. News: Federa airport gets AAI nod. Daily News & Analysis. 28 July 2014. 11 February 2010.
  8. Web site: Site Clearance for Dholera Airport Project . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150626130409/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=107084 . 26 June 2015 . 28 July 2014 . Press Information Bureau.
  9. News: Gujarat's Dholera airport project gets Centre's green nod . Business Standard. 12 May 2018. 10 December 2015.
  10. News: AAI to pick 51% stake in Dholera International Airport . The Financial Express (India). 3 March 2021. 28 November 2018.
  11. Web site: MoUs inked for airports at Dholera, Ankleshwar . Times of India. 20 January 2019. 21 January 2019.
  12. Web site: 6 years on, ground work on Dholera airport yet to start. 2019-02-22. The Indian Express. en-IN. 2019-05-22.
  13. News: Coming up: Gujarat's Largest airport . Outlook. 3 March 2021. 2 March 2021.
  14. Web site: Varaha Wins Dholera Airport Phase 1’s Construction Work . The Metro Rail Guy . 9 May 2024 . 26 June 2021.
  15. Web site: Dholera Airport: Phase I of new greenfield airport gets Cabinet approval . . 9 May 2024 . 14 June 2022.
  16. Web site: Ahmedabad’s Second Airport At Dholera: AAI Awards Rs 333-Crore Contract To Yashnand Engineers for Terminal Buildingl . India Infrahub . 9 May 2024 . 7 January 2024.