The Year Ends on a Good Note for Dholera Smart City Gujarat

The Year Ends on a Good Note for Dholera Smart City Gujarat

The state received an enthusiastic assent on two projects: G-SER and the Ahmedabad-Dholera SIR Monorail.

MoU with Cerestra Managers Private Limited

The government of Gujarat has taken a significant step towards a promising future by signing an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Cerestra Managers Private Limited. This project aims to harness Dholera, the biggest Greenfield Smart City, and drive a special initiative to promote education activities in the state.

• The project is named G-SER: Gujarat Special Education Region.

• Signed in the presence of the Chief Minister of Gujarat in late December.

• Expected to span 1,000 acres of land across Dholera SIR.

G-SER: A Promising Future for Education in Gujarat

With an ambition to provide global-level education infrastructure, Gujarat has partnered with Cerestra Ventures, India’s largest education infrastructure fund. The project focuses on developing an education hub in the Dholera SIR region.

• Initially planned on 1,000 acres, with the potential to expand to 5,000 acres.

• Will include sports complexes, student housing, and research labs.

• Cerestra Ventures is committed to developing a ‘First-in-class’ quality education hub.

About Cerestra Ventures

Cerestra Ventures, a Hyderabad-based private equity firm, specializes in Edu-infra and real estate.

• Known for its contributions to the education and life sciences sectors.

• Has undertaken projects in Tier-1 cities like Mumbai and Bangalore.

• Under G-SER, it plans to establish:

  • University districts

  • Innovative districts

  • School districts

  • Sports complexes

  • Other state-of-the-art facilities

• Estimated to generate employment for 1.5 lakh people.

Impact of the MoU on Gujarat

Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) is recognized as Gujarat’s biggest Greenfield smart city. The MoU, signed by ACS to the Chief Minister and Chairman of Dholera’s Industrial City, Mr. M. K. Das, marks a flagship project for the state.

• Cerestra Managers Private Limited aims to establish world-class education facilities.

• Expected to attract leading global educational institutes to set up bases in Dholera SIR.

• The Chief Minister emphasized that this initiative will accelerate development and foster a knowledge-driven economy.

• The project is expected to bring in an investment of Rs. 10,500 crore.

Ahmedabad-Dholera SIR Monorail Project

Along with Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway and Dholera International Airport, another major infrastructure development is the Ahmedabad-Dholera SIR Monorail.

• Gujarat’s first monorail project received approval in January.

• Dholera SIR, spanning 920 sq. km, is strategically located near Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, and Surat.

• The state government approved Rs. 6,000 crore for the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) project.

• Financial and technical backing secured under the Government of India’s DMIC (Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor) project.

• Included in JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) after approval from the Centre and state government.

• Completion timeframe: 24 to 36 months.

• Upon completion, the monorail will operate at seven stations, with six elevated structures parallel to the Ahmedabad-Dholera expressway.