Mohammed Sajib at 16:45, 28 February 2026

2026-02-28T16:45:08Z

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{{About|the village in Gujarat|the village in Haryana|Dholera, Mahendragarh}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Dholera
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = town
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Gujarat#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Gujarat, India
| coordinates = {{coord|22.248|N|72.195|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Gujarat]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Ahmedabad district|Ahmedabad]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = 382455
| registration_plate = GJ
| website = {{URL|dholera.gujarat.gov.in|Dholera}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''Dholera''' is a town in [[Ahmedabad district]] of [[Gujarat]] state in [[India]].<ref name="village" />

==History==
===Background===
Dholera was also an ancient port-city in [[Gulf of Khambhat]], 30 km. from [[Dhandhuka]] village of [[Ahmedabad district]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

[[Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Dholera]] is one of the nine temples built by [[Swaminarayan]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Williams |first=Raymond |year=2001 |title=Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism |url=https://www.cambridge.org/jp/universitypress/subjects/religion/buddhism-and-eastern-religions/introduction-swaminarayan-hinduism-3rd-edition?format=HB&isbn=9781108421140 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=29 |isbn=978-0-521-65422-7 |access-date=21 April 2025}}</ref>

===Smart city===
Since 2011, the Government of Gujarat has been making plans to develop a [[smart city]] at Bhal area.<ref name="waterlog" /><ref name="village">{{cite news |title=Gujarat elections: Modi's Dholera dream is a tale of delay, progress and resistance |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/assembly-elections/gujarat-elections-modi-s-dholera-dream-is-a-tale-of-delay-progress-and-resistance/story-HKH2aY9U8BprFx4u2F1WbP.html |access-date=27 January 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |date=21 November 2017 |language=en}}</ref> The economic viability of the project has been questioned by farmer organisations.<ref name="waterlog" /><ref name=Guardian2014 /> Several investors who initially signed the Memorandum of Understanding to develop the project, have withdrawn and refused to invest.<ref name=Guardian2014 />

==Geography==
The region is located in a low lying area and is flood prone.<ref name="waterlog" /><ref name=Guardian2014>{{cite news |last1=Datta |first1=Ayona |title=India's smart city craze: big, green and doomed from the start? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/apr/17/india-smart-city-dholera-flood-farmers-investors |access-date=3 December 2020 |work=the Guardian |date=17 April 2014 |language=en}}</ref> In August 2019, the area was waterlogged and remained cut off from other cities for three days.<ref name="waterlog">{{cite news |title=Dholera waterlogged, reconsider Smart City project: Farmers |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-dholera-waterlogged-reconsider-smart-city-project-farmers-2781345 |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=DNA India |date=13 August 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

== Planned infrastructure ==
Gujarat Government has proposed a new [[Dholera International Airport|International Airport]] for [[Ahmedabad]] city at [[Fedara]]. The proposed international airport is to be strategically located near the planned [[SEZ]] project of the [[Adani Group]] at Dholera. A new seaport was initially proposed, but the plans have been abandoned.<ref name=Guardian2014 />

In January 2021 a monorail project to link [[Ahmedabad]] and the [[Dholera Special Investment Region]] '''(DSIR)''' was approved. The {{INRConvert|60|b}} [[Mass Rapid Transit System]] (MRTS) will run parallel to the expressway and have seventy stations.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ahmedabad-Dholera SIR monorail gets green signal - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/ahmedabad-dholera-sir-monorail-gets-green-signal/articleshow/80126746.cms|access-date=2021-06-29|website=The Times of India|date=6 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ahmedabad Dholera Mono Rail project approved for seacle at Dholera Airport: PM Modi |url=https://www.dholeraprime.com/ahmedabad-dholera-mono-rail-project-approved-for-connectivity-at-dholera-airport-pm-modi/ |access-date=29 June 2021 |publisher=Dholera Prime |date=21 January 2021 |archive-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512122504/https://www.dholeraprime.com/ahmedabad-dholera-mono-rail-project-approved-for-connectivity-at-dholera-airport-pm-modi/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2025, Dholera, along with [[Kutch district|Kutch]], was identified as a suitable site for setting up launchpads for space exploration institutions by the government of Gujarat.<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=21 April 2025 |title=Gujarat zeroes in on Kutch, Dholera for launchpad |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/gujarat-zeroes-in-on-kutch-dholera-for-launchpad/articleshow/120462263.cms |work=The Times of India |location=Gandhinagar |access-date=21 April 2025}}</ref>

[[Tata Group]] is constructing a [[Semiconductor fabrication plant|semiconductor chip fabrication plant]] in the town.<ref>{{cite news |last=Aryan |first=Aashish |date=25 March 2025 |title=Tata group seeks 80 acres more to expand Dholera semiconductor chip plant |url=https://www.business-standard.com/amp/companies/news/tata-group-seeks-80-acres-more-to-expand-dholera-semiconductor-chip-plant-125032501268_1.html |work=[[Business Standard]] |location=New Delhi |access-date=21 April 2025}}</ref>

===Dholera International Airport===
[[Dholera International Airport]], a [[greenfield airport]] is under construction near Navagam in the Dholera taluka of [[Ahmedabad district]]. The project site is spread over 1,426 hectares near Navagam village in Dholera taluka,<ref name="TOI2">{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Dholera-airport-work-to-take-off-in-Q3-of-FY16/articleshow/47807868.cms|title=Dholera airport work to take off in Q3 of FY’16|work=[[The Times of India]]| access-date= 25 June 2015| date=25 June 2015}}</ref> about 80 km from Ahmedabad and around 20 km from the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR).<ref name="FE">{{Cite news|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/pm-narendra-modigovt-grants-site-clearance-to-gujarats-dholera-airport/1272163|title=PM Narendra Modi-govt grants 'site clearance' to Gujarat's Dholera airport|work=[[The Financial Express (India)]]|access-date= 28 July 2014|date=21 July 2013}}</ref>

The [[Airports Authority of India]] (AAI) inspected the site in January 2010 to carry out a techno-economical feasibility study<ref name="DNA">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-aai-team-inspects-site-for-greenfield-airport-in-ahmedabad-1338455|title=AAI team inspects site for greenfield airport in Ahmedabad|work=[[Daily News & Analysis]]|access-date= 28 July 2014|date=23 January 2010}}</ref> and gave its technical clearance.<ref name="DNA1">{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Federa-airport-gets-AAI-nod/articleshow/5558624.cms|title=Federa airport gets AAI nod|work=[[Daily News & Analysis]]|access-date= 28 July 2014|date=11 February 2010}}</ref> The Dholera International Airport Company Ltd (DIACL) was founded in 2013 to develop the airport.<ref>{{cite news |title=6 years on, ground work on Dholera airport yet to start |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/6-years-on-ground-work-on-dholera-airport-yet-to-start-5595661/ |access-date=3 December 2020 |work=The Indian Express |date=22 February 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
The central government approved the site in July 2014,<ref>{{cite web |title=Site Clearance for Dholera Airport Project|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=107084 |work= [[Press Information Bureau]]|access-date=28 July 2014 }}</ref> the Environment Ministry gave its approval in December 2015.<ref name="BS1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/gujarat-s-dholera-airport-project-gets-centre-s-green-nod-115121000537_1.html|title=Gujarat's Dholera airport project gets Centre's green nod |work=[[Business Standard]]|access-date= 12 May 2018|date=10 December 2015}}</ref>

In 2021, the Airport Authority of India released a Rs. 987 crore tender for Phase 1 of airport project. The airport will have a 3,200 metre long runway suitable for 4E category aircraft. The airport is expected to cater to not only DSIR and its hinterland, but also to traffic overflow from the Ahmedabad international airport. The Gujarat government has allocated 1427 hectares of land for the said project and 75 hectares of government land, has been allocated for commercial development.<ref name="OL1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/travelnews/story/71247/dholera-special-investment-region-dsir-to-host-gujarats-largest-airport|title=Coming up: Gujarat's Largest airport |work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|access-date= 3 March 2021|date=2 March 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ahmedabad district}}

[[Category:Swaminarayan Sampradaya]]
[[Category:Villages in Ahmedabad district]]
[[Category:Economy of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Planned communities in India]]
[[Category:Settlements in Gujarat]]

{{Ahmedabad-geo-stub}}

Dholera - Revision history

Mohammed Sajib at 16:45, 28 February 2026