The Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) sits south-west of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. It is being developed as a greenfield smart city — meaning the roads, utilities and land use are planned first, and the city is built around that plan.
If you are considering a plot here, it helps to understand the idea before you look at any price sheet.
Why "greenfield" matters
Most Indian cities grew first and were planned later, so infrastructure keeps chasing the population. Dholera reverses that order. A notified master plan fixes where roads, utility corridors, industrial zones, residential areas and open space will go before development begins.
For a buyer, that means two things:
- Predictability — you can see on the master plan what is meant to be next to your plot.
- Timeline risk — a project of this scale takes years, and individual milestones can and do move.
What is planned
Public announcements and the region's master plan describe a mix of connectivity and economic infrastructure. Items commonly mentioned include:
- The Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway for a road link to the city
- A planned international airport within the region
- Proximity to the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor
- Water, power and drainage infrastructure laid by the development authority
- Industrial and manufacturing zones alongside residential areas
These items are at different stages of planning and construction. Always check the current status from official sources instead of relying on a brochure.
The activation area
Development is phased. The activation area is the first zone where the authority concentrates roads and utilities. Plots inside or close to it generally benefit first from infrastructure, which is why they are often priced differently from plots further out.
What it means for a plot buyer
Buying early in a new city can mean entry pricing, but it also means taking on execution and timeline risk. A sensible approach:
- Decide whether you are buying to hold, to build, or for a business — the right location differs.
- Compare projects on the same basis: approvals, road width, utilities, distance to the activation area.
- Visit the site and read the documents before you pay anything.
- Have your own advocate review the title.
Questions to ask any seller
- Is the title chain complete, and can my advocate review it?
- Is the project RERA-registered, and what is the registration number?
- What is the road width and is the road already built?
- Where exactly is the plot relative to the activation area?
- Which charges are not included in the price?
A good seller answers these in writing and gives you time. If you are rushed, that is information too.