Gujarat’s Strategic Move: Greenfield Airports in Dahod & Dwarka

Gujarat is moving decisively to bridge connectivity gaps through two new greenfield airports—Dahod and Dwarka—forming critical pillars in its expanding aviation infrastructure. Driven by feasibility studies conducted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the state government has initiated land acquisition and necessary surveys to make these projects operational in the near to medium term.

Key Updates & Project Status

Dahod Airport

• Feasibility and Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) surveys are complete.

• The airport is aimed at serving industrial, cargo, and passenger demand in eastern Gujarat, reducing dependency on Indore and Ahmedabad for air access.

• The government says 100% of the required land is government owned for the Dahod site in Jhalod; this is to facilitate faster acquisition and fewer legal complications.
  
  

Dwarka Airport

• A site near Vasai village, about 12 km from Dwarka, spanning ~300 hectares, has been identified.

• Of this land, ~45% is already government owned; the rest is privately held and is under acquisition.

• Previous proposals for the airport were rejected due to feasibility concerns (coastal constraints, defense considerations), making this the third proposed site. Authorities are proceeding with extra care.
  
  

Wider Aviation Context in Gujarat

• These two are part of 11 greenfield airport sites under consideration; AAI has found several (including Dahod, Dwarka, Morbi, Rajpipla, Dhordo) feasible.

• Parallel efforts are gearing up to expand existing airports: Keshod (Junagadh), Bhavnagar, Porbandar are in various stages of land acquisition and upgrade.

• The Dholera International Airport (in the Dholera Special Investment Region) is another major project expected to be completed by end‐2025.
  
  

Impacts for Industry, Tourism & Corporate Travel

Faster Travel Times & Better Connectivity

For pilgrimage and tourism hubs like Dwarka, current travel involves long train journeys—about 8 hours from Ahmedabad, 17 hours from Mumbai. The airport will dramatically cut these times, making multi-destination itineraries more viable for agencies.

Industrial & Economic Growth Zones

Dahod lies near the tri-state border with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and has growing industrial potential. With improved air cargo and passenger connectivity, supply chains can be more efficient, investments more attractive.

Strategic & Defense Value

The Dwarka site being near the coast and defense installations means that the airport could also play dual civilian and strategic roles, especially in emergency logistics. Authorities have flagged strategic importance in several reports.

Challenges & Considerations

• Land acquisition is underway but will need to navigate private ownership, farmer opposition, valuation, compensation etc.

• Regulatory & environmental clearances, particularly for coastal zones and defense overlay areas, may delay progress.

• Ensuring enough supporting infrastructure (roads, last-mile connectivity, hotels, services) is vital for fully realising benefits.
  
  

What This Means for B2B Travel & Aviation Professionals

• New route planning: Airlines and charter operators can anticipate demand for routes into Dahod (industrial) and Dwarka (tourism/pilgrimage) and prepare proposals early.

• Corporate client opportunities: Corporations operating in eastern Gujarat may save time and cost in travel and logistics; this opens up new business travel packages.

• Tour operators: Can build multi-destination pilgrimage / coastal & cultural circuits that include faster travel to Dwarka + nearby attractions (beaches, ecotourism etc.).

• Freight & logistics players: Dahod airport may enable faster movement of goods for manufacturing clusters; value-added perishable goods may benefit.

Conclusion & Takeaway

Gujarat’s push to commission greenfield airports in Dahod and Dwarka is more than infrastructure build-out—it’s a strategic move to:

• Unlock regional economic potential in under-served areas

• Reduce travel time for pilgrims, tourists and business travellers

• Offer new avenues for airlines, travel agents, and logistics providers
  
  

For travel & aviation professionals, keeping a close eye on these airport projects will help in aligning business development, route strategies, and client offerings ahead of full operationalisation.

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