Dholera airport in Gujarat 80 pc complete, operations likely by October: Naidu

Dholera, Jul 14 (PTI) Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday said around 80 per cent of the construction work at the upcoming Dholera International Airport near Ahmedabad has been completed, and expressed confidence that it would become operational by October this year. Reviewing the progress of the project with Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and other senior officials from the Gujarat government and the airport consortium, Naidu told reporters that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, runway, taxiway and ancillary structures have already reached 100 per cent completion. Naidu said the Dholera International Airport is not merely a regional project for Gujarat but a strategically important national infrastructure project, according to an official release by the Press Information Bureau (PIB). "Approximately 80 per cent of the overall construction work has been completed. Specifically, 75 per cent of the work on the state-of-the-art terminal building has been finished, while ancillary structures, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, the primary runway and the taxiway have reached 100 per cent completion," he said. This is the first airport project of its kind in India to be seamlessly integrated alongside a manufacturing hub, a futuristic green city and a semiconductor cluster, he said. "Our primary objective is to complete this project as swiftly as possible and fast-track its inauguration. The unprecedented level of collaboration and active involvement of both the central and the Gujarat government is making this a truly unique, standout project in India's aviation landscape," the minister added. Systematic planning and robust execution ensured steady progress despite initial challenges, he said. According to the minister, a 25,000-square-metre passenger terminal with an annual capacity to handle 20 lakh passengers is under construction, along with a dedicated 2,500-square-metre cargo terminal to support the industrial ecosystem being developed in Dholera. Naidu said the concept of Dholera as a futuristic city, manufacturing hub and world-class airport was envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister. To implement the vision, a joint venture was formed between the AAI, the Gujarat government and NICDIT under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Highlighting the airport's connectivity, Naidu said Dholera is being developed as a multi-modal transport hub linked to a six-lane national highway and a high-speed rail corridor. "The Central Cabinet recently sanctioned Rs 20,667 crore for the rail corridor project, and we have ensured that its entry point and station will be positioned directly adjacent to the airport terminal. A passenger travelling from Ahmedabad will be able to disembark from the high-speed train directly at the terminal," he said. The minister said the airport has been planned as an "aerotropolis", where aviation infrastructure would serve as a catalyst for industrial and economic activity. "Whenever global or domestic companies look to invest in futuristic technologies -- whether in semiconductor manufacturing or green energy -- their primary demand is proximity to an airport. Dholera offers this exact competitive advantage" he said. He added that Tata Group's upcoming semiconductor facility and Airbus' defence partnerships will benefit directly from the facility's specialised Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangars on-site. These hangars will support the MRO operations of India's first indigenous military transport aircraft, the C-295, he said. Naidu also announced that an agreement has been finalised between Brazilian aerospace company Embraer and Adani Aviation Systems to establish the final assembly line for India's first civilian "Make in India" aircraft at Dholera. "Dholera has been chosen as the location for the Final Assembly Line for India's first civilian 'Make in India' aircraft, with a target to roll out the first plane by 2028. This makes Dholera the ultimate destination for future investments in semiconductors, electronics and aerospace," he said. The minister directed contractors and officials to complete all on-site construction work by September and said the ministry would work with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to obtain the necessary licences within the next three months so that the airport can be operational by September or October. PTI PJT PD NP