A hi-tech hub with smart infrastructure, clean energy and advanced digital urban management is taking shape in the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor.

In Gujarat, the long industrial corridor that connects Delhi to Mumbai, an urban project that blends vision, industry and technology is taking shape: it has been renamed Dholera Smart City, and could prove to be a key driver for the Indian economy.

With a planned extension of about 920 square kilometers, Dholera is born as the first real “greenfield smart city" of India, designed from the outset to be digital, sustainable, and industrially capable. The goal is ambitious: to transform an under-exploited area of ​​India's coastal desert into a global hub for manufacturing, research, technology, and quality of life.

Dholera Smart City: A Nationwide Vision

The project was defined as part of the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), the major development axis aimed at revitalizing the Asian country's industry and urbanization. The designation of Dholera as a Smart City and Special Investment Region (SIR) responds to the national government's wishes.

and the State of Gujarat to attract foreign investment, stimulate exports, generate employment and build next-generation infrastructure.

Dholera is not an extension of an existing city, but a city ​​designed from scratchFrom electricity and water networks to mobility, from digital to industry. The model is that of an integrated ecosystem, in which industry and urbanity coexist alongside smart and sustainable systems, rather than acting separately.

The masterplan and next-generation infrastructure

Il masterplan The Dholera Smart City plan features clear and detailed zoning. Large industrial areas are located alongside residential districts, commercial zones, public services, logistics infrastructure, and green systems. An initial portion, called "Activation Area”, of approximately 22,5 square kilometers, is already under advanced construction, to act as the operational nucleus of the future city.

The infrastructure remains cutting edge: underground networks for services (energy, water, gas, data), wide streets (up to 75 meters), fiber optic connection in every urban area, and a command and control center that integrates traffic, lighting, water pressure, air quality, and flood warning systems.

The Plan provides for connections and transportAhmedabad–Dholera Expressway, the future international airport, rapid transit cabins and dedicated logistics lines. Energy is guaranteed by a huge solar park (more than 4.000 MW planned) and by components for thegreen hydrogen, making the city a model of “clean” industry.

Technology and sustainability: the driving forces behind Dholera Smart City

The heart of the smart city lies in the integrated technology and sustainabilityDholera is designed to host startups, research centers, and high-tech companies, particularly in the semiconductor, robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced materials sectors. Companies like Tata Electronics and other big names are already attracted to the ecosystem.

La urban mobility It will be "smart": electric vehicles, automated public transport, wireless charging infrastructure, and traffic managed by sensors and predictive algorithms. Efficient water use—essential in this area—is ensured by rainwater harvesting systems, wastewater recycling, and intelligent demand management.

On the energy front, the aim is to make Dholera a district almost self-sufficientSolar farms and smart microgrids will power industry and homes, while data networks and IoT sensors will ensure optimal use of resources and urban environments. The planned Digital Command Center will be able to monitor and regulate energy consumption, traffic, air quality, and waste management in real time, making the city a model of "predictive urbanism."

The status of the works and the timescales for their completion

The progress of the project is divided into phasesThe first, the Activation Area (approximately 2020–2025), introduced the urban backbone: roads, electricity grid, cabling, and the first assignment of industrial lots. Sources indicate that this phase is already 90–95 percent complete.

La second stage (2025–2030) includes the development of the international airport, the expansion of industrial areas, and the launch of residential and commercial infrastructure. Energy systems and smart grids will be fully integrated in this phase, as will the urban IoT system, which will connect sensors, buildings, and public infrastructure.

The third phase, from 2030 onwards until 2040, aims to complete the entire 920-square-kilometer area, with full urban, infrastructural, and production operations. Residential areas will be served by autonomous mobility and smart traffic management. Among the most imminent milestones is the completion of the Dholera International Airport, expected between the end of 2025 and 2026. At the same time, the industrial areas are already attracting investment: assigned plots and the first companies installed indicate that the city is reaping the benefits of the preparatory phase.

According to government sources and the Dholera SIR Development Authority, work on key infrastructure (water, power, telecommunications and main roads) is about 70 percent complete, while pilot residential buildings and industrial campuses will be ready by 2027.

The city as a true urban laboratory for India

Dholera Smart City is more than an ambitious infrastructure project: it is proof that India can design and build digital industrial cities from scratch, combining high technology, environmental sustainability, and urban quality. The real test will come in the coming years, when large infrastructures are operational, industries will be active and the city will begin to populate.

With the system of IoT sensors, smart grids, electric mobility and predictive management of resources, Dholera will be a replicable model for other emerging cities in India and around the world.

The programs of STEM education, Innovation centers and high-tech industrial parks will make Dholera a permanent urban laboratory, capable of attracting young talent and international investments.

The full economic and social impact of the project

Dholera is destined to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs, not only in manufacturing but also in digital services, research and development. The district aims to become a global point of reference for Indian exports and for the attraction of international advanced manufacturing chains.

The housing and urban model wants to be inclusive and smart: Neighborhoods designed for quality of life, green spaces, digital infrastructure, and homes with integrated smart homes. The "live-work-play" balance is one of the masterplan's cornerstones. In a region that until recently was little industrialized, the development of Dholera represents a momentous transformation: modern infrastructure, economic opportunities and a city designed for the twenty-first century.

The Dholera Smart City project by Studio Trika

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