In a major boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) in Gujarat, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has given environmental clearance to Dholera International Airport.
“The international airport is coming up at Navagam village near the proposed Dholera SIR situated in Ahmedabad district. The airport will be constructed in three phases at an estimated cost of Rs1,700 crore,” said a senior official in Gujarat Government.
According to him, the Ministry of Defense had already given nod by issuing no objection certificate (NOC) to initiate construction work. last year, Union Ministry of Civil aviation too had given clearance for the proposed site of the airport which would be developed on over 1,400 hectare area, he added.
A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), the Dholera International Airport Company has been set up by the Government of Gujarat in order to develop the international airport. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) in its report has given estimate cost of Rs716 crore for the first phase work.
Meanwhile reacting on the environmental clearance, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel said that along with SIR in Dholera people from areas like Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Nadiyad and Aanand would also benefit from the airport. With this all clearances have been taken for the development of the airport. However, certain ‘in principle’ approvals from the Civil Aviation Ministry needs to be taken which would come by next month, said the official.
Dholera SIR is a major project under the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). It is developed with an aim to make it a global manufacturing hub supported by world class infrastructure. The SIR is also being developed as one of the 100 smart cities announced by the Modi government. It is also India’s first SIR.