Dholera's sustainable development and adoption of advanced technology makes it a prominent model for the success of industrial smart cities in India: Shri Bhupendra Patel

Dholera's role of technology in industrial smart cities exhibited at Dubai Expo 2020

AHMEDABAD, India, Oct. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shri Bhupendra Patel, Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat, commended Dholera for its sustainable development and adoption of advanced technology, making it a prominent model for the success of industrial smart cities in India. By converging next-generation technologies across sectors, Dholera emerges as an efficient, sustainable and habitable smart city for industries and investors.

Speaking at the India Pavilion on setting new benchmarks for the industrial smart city- Dholera industrial city, Shri Bhupendra Patel, said "With a GSDP of over USD 267 billion, Gujarat accounts for about 18.4% of India's Industrial output, and accounts for more than 20% of India's exports. With a 37% share, Gujarat received a total FDI of USD 30.23 billion in 2020-21 and is a national leader in varied sectors, such as engineering & auto parts, textile, pharmaceuticals, chemical and petrochemical, gems and jewellery etc. The state has become a Global Business Hub as the Government of Gujarat's policy-driven mechanism strengthens the state's manufacturing ecosystem and provides a thrust to the 'up and coming' sectors of India's dynamic business ecosystem."

Dholera displayed its vibrant economy and technological advancement at the Expo 2020 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. To attract maximum foreign investment and highlight the economic and sustainable way of living using smart infrastructure, Dholera aims to provide investment opportunities to several businesses and industries, as more than 20 million people across the globe are expected to visit Dubai for the event. Dholera will be the ecosystem that fosters collaboration and drives innovation.

Shri Hareet Shukla, IAS, Secretary, Managing Director Dholera Industrial City Development Limited, said, "Dholera provides an opportunity for investors to set up manufacturing units while aiming to provide an environment of work and live, learn and play. Dholera is a smart and sustainable city with clear land titles, large contiguous land parcels, blanket environmental clearance, state of the art infrastructure, plug & play facilities, lowest power tariffs in India, well-developed connectivity, ICT based City Integrated Operations, etc. By investing in India's first greenfield smart industrial city – Dholera, investors can make sound business decisions as the city will be an inspiration for other cities and countries concerning innovation and technology that can make a real difference to people's lives."

Dholera aspires to become a testbed for new technologies and innovations. During the expo, Dholera displayed the importance of technological innovation to improve city construction, benefitting its citizens by sharing opportunities and creating a better future. Leading business chambers like IBPC, PIOCCI, Dubai Chamber etc. and more than 800 attendees attended the session on "Setting New Benchmark for Industrial City- Dholera"

Shri Sanjeev Kumar, IAS, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI) Government of India, said, "Multimodal communication links planned in Dholera is crucial as the smart city is a beacon of light for the other industrial cities of the country. We plan to start 1st phase of the airport in January 2022 and complete it by December 2024 by constructing a 3200-metre runway. The upcoming airport would enhance the efficiency and convenience of the passengers by providing world-class services to them."

Dholera showcased its value proposition at the India pavilion, situated at the Opportunity District, promoting trade and investment and world-class innovative technologies. Dr. Bu Abdullah of the Royal Family of UAE and Chairman of Bu Abdullah Group also attended the seminar.

Shri Ankur Gupta, Head – Corporate Affairs & Growth, Tata Sons (MENA), said, "Tata Chemicals choose Dholera for its business-friendly policies. The Government of Gujarat does what it says, and its focus on renewable energy were the key enablers for us set up the facility at Dholera. Due to Dholera's pro-business approach, the industrial smart city is lucrative for heavy manufacturing investments."

Dubai's World Expo is held under the theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, echoing the powerful spirit of partnership and cooperation that has driven the UAE's success in pioneering new paths of development and innovation. Through this theme, Expo 2020 Dubai will serve as a catalyst, connecting minds worldwide and inspiring participants to mobilize around shared challenges under the sub-themes of Mobility, Opportunity & Sustainability.

Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India Dubai, said, "The Dholera project is a powerful platform to capitalize on investment between India and the UAE. It will emerge as a driver for industrial and trade activities in the country. Startups and Multinationals can utilize such opportunities to boost manufacturing and industrial investments across such smart industrial city initiatives.".

Shri Sharafuddin Sharaf, Vice Chairman, Sharaf Group, said, "Vibrant Gujarat has brought vibrancy to the Expo and the UAE. Dholera's infrastructure is an asset for world economies, and will encourage investors to invest in Gujarat and Dholera. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts have brought global unity among world nations. UIBC is bringing together both the countries together to drive India- UAE investments"

In her vote of thanks, Smt. Nilam Rani, Managing Director, iNDEXTb, Government of Gujarat, said, "Dholera will pave the way for the next industrial revolution in Gujarat, as the industrial smart cities are a gateway to boost the economy for developing countries like India."

Dholera aims to raise the investors' interest, desire, confidence, and determination for sustainable living using smart infrastructure, advanced technology, and innovation to ensure the seamless functioning of businesses and residential living. These include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, Robotics, Big Data and Blockchain. The EXPO2020 will provide Dholera with an opportunity to showcase its propositions to connect with global investors and unlock business opportunities.

During the panel discussion on "Industrial Smart City: Defying the Myth", the panellists Shri Abhishek Chaudhary (Online), V.P. - Corporate Affairs, HR & Company Secretary, National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (NICDC); Shri Jagdish Salgaonkar, Program Director & Strategic Advisor, Smart Cities, AECOM India Pvt. Ltd; Shri Amit Bhardwaj, Chief Commercial Officer, APM Terminals Pipavav (Gujarat Pipavav Port Limited); Shri Shrinath Rao (Online), Executive Vice President & Head Roads, Runways, Elevated Corridors, L&T Transport Infrastructure; highlighted how a smart industrial city could propel the economy's growth and drive its progress. The positive impact of smart technology on industrial and economic development is unmatched as it ensures economic sustainability, and interactive and transparent public services. The development of a smart city comprehends improvements in the overall quality of life and goes a long way in attracting businesses and citizens to settle in such cities. Dholera offers Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and ICT based infrastructure & services, and encourages its people to walk to work, promoting sustainable and optimum use of resources. 

About Dholera

The Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) is a major Greenfield Industrial Hub planned and located approximately 100km south of Ahmedabad and 130km from the State Capital Gandhinagar. The project as envisaged will be the first initiative from National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) to create a linear zone of industrial clusters and nodes to be developed in the influence area of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC). Dholera which is approximately 100 kms southwest of Ahmedabad offers unencumbered land parcels of upto 150 Hectares and the land allotment can be made in record 17-20 days by Dholera Industrial City Development Limited.

DSIR has been planned over an extensive area of land measuring approximately 920sqkm and encompassing 22 villages of Dholera Taluka in the Ahmedabad District. This will be by far the largest of investment nodes planned along the influence of DFC in the DMIC region. This node is strategically located between the industrial cities of Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat and Bhavnagar urban agglomerations. The nearest international airport is at Ahmedabad and Government of Gujarat through the Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL) has plans to develop another international airport in the north-east of the proposed investment region. NICDC Limited with support of DSIRDA, plan to create an economically and socially balanced new-age City with world class infrastructure and highest quality-of-life standards and sustainability in the urban form. This new age city aims to have a sustainable urban transportation system within and mobile/ efficient regional connectivity with neighboring cities and the rest of the country.

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