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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Gujarat on March 31, where he will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for a series of major urban development projects across the state.
Gujarat’s focus on urban transformation dates back to 2005, when Modi, then Chief Minister, declared it the “Urban Year” to prioritise city infrastructure. Continuing this legacy, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has designated 2025 as the “Urban Development Year,” aiming to accelerate world-class urban initiatives.
Transport and Connectivity
The state has significantly expanded its transport network through major road, rail, port, and airport projects. Infrastructure upgrades such as overbridges and underbridges are underway in key cities like Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, and Surat to ease congestion. Notable highway developments include the Jamnagar–Bathinda corridor, Vadodara–Mumbai Expressway, and Porbandar–Dwarka National Highway, along with greenfield projects like the Namoshakti Expressway (Deesa–Pipavav) and the Somnath–Dwarka Expressway.
A key highlight is the Sudarshan Setu connecting Dwarka and Beyt Dwarka. Metro rail expansion is progressing, with Phase 2 of the Ahmedabad Metro completed and new trainsets planned for Surat Metro. National rail upgrades include the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train and Vande Bharat Express services, along with redevelopment of 89 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
In aviation, connectivity has improved with the greenfield airport at Hirasar (Rajkot), the operational Surat International Airport, and regional connectivity under the UDAN Scheme across cities like Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Kandla, Keshod, Mundra, and Porbandar.
Urban Infrastructure and Housing
Under the AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0, Gujarat has implemented water supply and sewerage projects benefiting thousands of households, while adding significant sewage treatment capacity and pipeline networks.
Six cities—Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Gandhinagar, and Dahod—have undertaken projects under the Smart Cities Mission, with most nearing completion.
Housing initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) have delivered over 9.19 lakh homes for economically weaker sections, including innovative projects like the Lighthouse Project in Rajkot. The newly launched PMAY (Urban) 2.0 has further approved over one lakh additional houses.
Urban Governance and Budget Push
Urban governance has been strengthened by upgrading nine municipalities into municipal corporations, increasing the total to 17 across the state.
For FY27, the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department has been allocated ₹33,504 crore, including ₹16,116 crore under the Swarnim Jayanti Mukhyamantri Urban Development Scheme—a 17% increase from the previous year. Plans also include preparing cities like Ahmedabad to be “Olympic-ready” for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, with ₹1,278 crore earmarked for world-class sports infrastructure and public transport upgrades.
Additional investments span water supply systems, drainage networks, lake development, metro expansion, and projects under the Swachh Bharat Mission, reflecting a comprehensive push toward sustainable, modern, and citizen-centric urban development in Gujarat.
News by Rahul Yelligetti.
