The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on June 14 approved the Dholera International Airport project in Gujarat.
Airport will be own by Airports Authority of India and the Gujarat government jointly
The Airports Authority of India and the Gujarat government would jointly own the airport, which will be connected by highways, fast transit systems, and trains. Anurag Thakur, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, stated.
Airport with 3 phases cost Rs 1,712 crore
The first phase of the Dholera airport, which is anticipated to be completed in four years, will cost Rs 1,305 crore, according to Thakur. At a cost of Rs 1,712 crore, the airport would be built in three phases.
The airport was earlier expected to start operations by December 2023, however, with the delays the first phase should be completed by 2025-26.
Airport is expected to cater 3lakh passengers
The government expects the Dholera airport to cater to 3,00,000 passengers and handle 20,000 tonne of cargo in 2026.
During Phase-1, a 3,200-metre-long runway will be built for type 4E aircrafts, in the Phase-2, the same runway would be extended to 3,800 metres. And in Phase-3, the second runway will be built.
In the next 20 years, the Dholera airport is expected to handle 2,33,000 tonne of cargo and cater to 23 lakh passengers, Thakur said.
The development will be funded by equity of 40 percent and 60 percent debt.
Dholera airport is now a joint venture
The Gujarat government established Dholera International Airport Company Ltd (DIACL) in 2012 to construct the airport, which is now a joint venture between AAI (51 percent), the Government of Gujarat (33 percent), and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (16 percent).
The new facility is being set up in greenfield city under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project at Dholera.
The Airports Authority of India had in February issued tenders for the construction of the first phase of an international airport at Dholera entailing an investment of Rs 987 crore.
Gujarat govt. alloted 1,427 hectares of land for the project
The Gujarat government has allocated 1,427 hectares of land for the project, and 75 hectares of government land has been allocated for commercial development.
Located around 100km from Ahmedabad, Dholera Airport is expected to be an alternative to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.