Dholera International Airport project approved; Union Minister Anurag Thakur's announcement
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Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur today approved Gujarat’s ambitious project Dholera International Airport. He said the airport would be owned by the Airports Authority of India and the Gujarat government. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved the Dholera International Airport project in Gujarat. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the airport, which will be connected by highways, high-speed transport and railways, will be owned by the Airports Authority of India and the Gujarat government.
What is this project
Approximately 100 km from Ahmedabad. The Special Investment Region at Dholera, along with an international airport, was announced in 2007. Dholera International Airport Company Ltd. was also established in 2012 by a joint venture of the State Government, Airports Authority of India and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust. However, even 10 years after the establishment of the company, the operations of Dholera Airport have not started by 1%.
The company was established on January 20, 2012. At present Gujarat government has allotted 1426 hectares and 75 hectares of land to the company. As of now, no work has been started on the Rs 1305 crore project. However, with the approval of CCEA, the work will now pick up speed and the target is to complete the work in next one and half years. An airport will be built at Navagam village in Dholera. This is Prime Minister Modi’s dream project.
A total of 1426.46 hectares and 75.05 hectares of land has been allotted to Dholera International Airport Company Limited by allotting 1500 hectares of government land on 30 year lease with one rupee token. Both these lands are government owned. Rs. The land has been allotted on a 30-year lease with a token of 1. Which can be extended for another 30 years. The total estimated cost for the airport project is Rs 1305 crore.
Dholera International Airport – Timeline
2007 – Announcement of Special Investment Region (including airport) in Dholera
2010 – Techno-Eco by Airport Authority. Site Visit for Feasibility Study
2012 – Dholera International Airport Company Limited is established
2014 – Site clearance granted to the project by the Central Government
2015 – Centre’s environment department approves the project
2019 – Airport Authority of India signs MoU with State Government. Signed
2021 – Airports Authority of India issues tender of Rs 987 crore for Phase-I
2022 – Approved by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)