The Union transport ministry has expedited the construction of the 109 km long Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway, which is set to connect Ahmedabad with the upcoming Special Investment Region and Dholera Smart City by January 2024. Following the commissioning of Phase-I of the Delhi Mumbai Expressway, the ministry has shifted its focus to the Ahmedabad-Dholera project, which has completed only 21% of the work since its launch in 2021.
Dholera is India’s first greenfield smart city and is being developed as a part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), with plans to connect it through various modes of transportation including an airport, port, roads, and metro. The construction of a new state-of-the-art airport in the region will also alleviate traffic congestion at the Ahmedabad airport.
The central government has allocated additional funds worth Rs 12,600 crore to Gujarat for the development of roads, bridges, and logistic parks in the state. This includes Rs 6,000 crore for the construction of multi-modal logistic parks and Rs 1,000 crore for the construction of road over bridges (ROBs) or road under bridges (RUBs) on roads other than national highways in the state. According to the state Chief Minister, a significant amount of clay required for the construction of highways will be sourced from the 20 lakh metric tonnes of solid waste generated within the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation limits, as well as the 25 lakh metric tonnes of ash produced by thermal power plants.
