Dholera's Semiconductor Boom: How Gujarat is Building India's Smartest City

Alongside the semiconductor project, several new townships, hotels, and residential complexes are being developed as investors show growing confidence in the region's potential.

Tata Electronics is setting up its semiconductor fabrication unit in Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) with a total investment of over Rs 91,000 crore.

Ambrish Parajiya, MD and Founder of GAP, told ANI: "To support the growing industrial base and the influx of professionals, new developments such as the Akhilam Township are underway. This township will feature hotels, modern housing, and all essential urban amenities."

He added that "The Dholera SIR is being developed as a state-of-the-art "plug-and-play" smart industrial city, projected to generate around 8 lakh high-skill jobs and house 20 lakh global citizens by 2047. Spread across a total area of 929 square kilometres, of which 420 square kilometres will be developed for town planning, Dholera will consist of 12 zones, each dedicated to non-polluting industries. Over the next two years, around 200 industries from across the world are expected to set up their facilities in Dholera".

He also shared that, for perspective, Dholera's planned area of 929 square kilometres is larger than Singapore, which covers around 700 square kilometres, and even the NCR region, which is about 600 square kilometres.

The city will accommodate about 2 million (20 lakh) people and will be powered entirely by solar energy, making it a model for sustainable urban development.

Aastha Goswami, CEO of AGO Company, said "Dholera, as a Special Investment Region (SIR), offers an exceptional level of ease of doing business, unmatched by any other city in India when it comes to the manufacturing sector. That is why, along with the AI revolution, the semiconductor revolution also needs equal attention, as both will complement each other in shaping India's industrial future."

She stated, "When we look at India's development, we see that most of the existing infrastructure and cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata have become overcrowded, as skilled employment is concentrated in these metro regions."

Goswami added, "For India to truly become a manufacturing hub, it needs planned and smart cities. Manufacturing already makes up around 70 per cent of India's GDP, and among all the emerging industries, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing the fastest. The foundation of AI lies in semiconductor chips, which are now going to be manufactured in India for the first time".

On March 13, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for three semiconductor plants in India; of these two are coming up in Gujarat.

- ANI