The Dholera Smart City project officially started in 2009, when it was notified as India’s first Greenfield Smart City under the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Later, major on ground development picked up after 2013 with the formation of the Special Purpose Vehicle.
Here is a simple breakdown so you clearly understand the timeline.
1. The idea stage
• The project is part of the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor, which was announced in 2007 by the Government of India.
• Dholera was selected as one of the main investment regions under this corridor.
• In 2009, Dholera Special Investment Region was officially notified by the Government of Gujarat under the SIR Act.
• That notification is considered the formal starting point.
At that time, it was mostly planning. No big machines on the ground. Just vision, land planning, mapping and legal framework.
2. Legal and planning foundation
• The Gujarat government passed the SIR Act before that, to allow creation of large planned industrial cities.
• Dholera became the first and biggest region under this Act.
• Detailed town planning schemes were prepared.
• Land pooling model was introduced so farmers became partners instead of being forced out.
I personally studied the early DPR reports, and honestly, on paper it looked very ambitious. Many people thought it would remain only on paper.
3. Formation of development authority
• The Dholera Special Investment Region Development Authority was created to manage planning and regulation.
• Later, Dholera Industrial City Development Limited was formed as the Special Purpose Vehicle.
• This SPV included both Government of India and Government of Gujarat participation.
This phase made the project more serious. It was no longer just a state level idea. It became a national level infrastructure mission.
4. Actual infrastructure work
• Around 2013 to 2015, trunk infrastructure contracts were awarded.
• Road grids, water lines, underground utilities, ICT systems were planned for Activation Area.
• In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Activation Area infrastructure.
From a real estate point of view, I consider 2013 onward as the real beginning of visible progress.
Before that, investors were confused. After that, machinery, boundary marking, and road development slowly became visible.
5. Smart City Mission context
• In 2015, India launched the Smart Cities Mission.
• Dholera was already planned before that, so technically it is not part of the 100 Smart Cities list.
• But it is often called India’s first Greenfield Smart City because it was built from scratch.
This is important. Many people mix this up.
6. What most people misunderstand
• Some people say Dholera started in 2007. That is wrong.
• Some say it started in 2016. That is also incomplete.
• Official notification happened in 2009.
• Serious physical development momentum began around 2013.
So if someone asks me professionally, I say:
The project officially started in 2009.
The physical transformation started after 2013.
As someone who has tracked Gujarat real estate for years, I have seen many announcements that never move forward. Dholera moved slowly, but it did move. That is the difference.
Even today, development is phased. It is not a fully built city yet. But it is not just a brochure either.
If you are studying it for investment or academic reasons, always separate announcement date from execution date. That gives you clarity.
