Dholera International Airport: Inauguration date, Passenger Amenities

Dholera International Airport update: Dholera International Airport, an under-construction greenfield airport, will serve the Gujarat’s Dholera Special Investment Region. The airport, being built near Navagam in the Dholera taluka of Ahmedabad district, is spread over 1,426 hectares area. It is about 80 km away from Ahmedabad and around 20 km (12 mi) from the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR). Once completed, the airport would serve the logistics requirements of the Dholera Special Investment Region. It will also reduce congestion of the existing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport serving the cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

Dholera International Airport Inauguration

According to reports, it is expected to be commissioned by December 2025. While Dholera International Airport was also approved in order to develop Dholeraas a self-sustainable city, massive growth projections have been made for the smart city which is being planned six times the size of Shanghai. However, Dholera is expected to become a leading global trading and manufacturing hub and witness a continual rise in economic activities. It is strategically located to meet the travel needs of both Dholera and Ahmedabad passengers.

According to dholerametrocity.com, Dholera International Airport shall be built extensively to accommodate 1,200 Indian and international passengers within the facility at one point of time. It will have two runways and is being built with state of art infrastructure and world class amenities.

Dholera International Airport Construction cost

While the project cost is estimated to be Rs. 1,378 crore, majority of which shall be pooled in by various sources in form of Public-Private Partnership and foreign investments. The project is being developed by Dholera International Airport Company Ltd or DIACL.

It should be kept in mind that the airport shall provide vital linkage to the world. According to reports, high speed metro rail which shall connect Dholera to all important points in the cities including Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. This apart, a six-lane expressway is also in the making connecting the smart city to Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad. The city shall also be connected via rail and port. It is interesting to note that the upcoming airport is instrumental in attracting foreign investments in the city.

Passenger amenities

Passenger amenities include the runway, parallel taxiway, passenger terminal building, cargo terminal, apron cargo, apron – passenger aircraft, car park, hotel & convetion centre, isolation bay, cooling pit, DVOR, airport road, perimeter road and green belt.

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Logistic

The proposed project to cater the huge rush of traffic from existing Ahmedbad Airport. Gujarat government has formed Dholera International Airport Company Ltd or DIACL to facilitate the project. It is learnt that DIACL shall obtain necessary arovals from Central/State government. It will also develop basic infrastructure. Later, private developer will be selected through open competitive bidding route.

Here is what media reports say

Ahmedabad is expected to get its second airport by June 2024 at Dholera. The central government had approved the proposal to develop phase-I of a greenfield airport 80 km from Ahmedabad.
Union I&B minister Anurag Singh Thakur said: “The project has got environmental and security clearance. The defence and home ministries have also given their nod to the airport that will come up in 1,501 hectares (about 3,709 acres). “

He pointed out that in the first phase that will be ready in 48 months, the airport will handle 3 lakh passengers and 20,000 tonnes cargo every year.
There is adequate land for expansion under second and third phases as well as increasing runway length,” Thakur added.

He mentioned that about 40 percent of phase one cost will be met via equity and the balance through debt.

The project will be implemented by DIACL. It will have 51 percent stake in it- Gujarat government with 33 percent stake and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust with the remaining 16 percent stake.

Location

The upcoming greenfield airport, situated at an aerial distance of 80 km from Ahmedabad Airport, is planned for operationalisation from 2025-26. “The annual cargo traffic is also estimated from the year 2025-26 at 20,000 tonne, which would increase to 2,73,000 tonne over a period of 20 years,” the government statement added.