DICDL invites global businesses and industrial investors to explore opportunities in the upcoming smart city. Dholera, the biggest industrial node on the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor project, has formally opened its door to global investors and businesses, offering land parcels to a multitude of industries with the goal of starting commercial production in the zone by 2019. At a specially curated event held, the Dholera Industrial City Development (DICDL), the SPV administering the special investment region, introduced Dholera to invitees including commercial officers and trade commissioners from embassies and consulates; representative of trade and industry associations, and Indian and foreign chambers of commerce. Dholera is one of the eight smart city industrial zones being developed in the first phase of DMIC, and with a total footprint of over 920 sq km, it is the largest among them. Infrastructure implementation in Dholera SIR is taking place in a phased manner with an activation area of 22.5 sq km (roughly 5,600 acre) developed in the first stage. The DICDL, a JV between DMIC Trust and Government of Gujarat, has committed US$ 600 million for infrastructure rollout in the activation area. Construction on the site is in progress with almost 35 per cent of roads and underground utilities ready. Once the anchor tenants are in place, the city is expected to quickly take shape setting sights on becoming a global model for highly planned, model smart cities. Addressing the delegates Manoj Kumar Das, Principal Secretary, Industries & Mines, GoG and Chairman, Dholera Industrial City, says: “Dholera, with its state-of-the-art infrastructure, with fully enabled ICT, well planned communities and best-in-class urban design will be the role model for future India.” Dholera's biggest advantage in terms of infrastructure is that it offers the largest industrial land parcels in all of South East Asia, making it especially ideal for production units in defence and Aviation MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations), heavy engineering, and machinery and auto components. Other sectors that the SIR is looking to attract include IT, electronics, bio-technology and food processing, having been designed with plug and play infrastructure, and sustainable and green social infrastructure for comfort living.   Jai Prakash Shivahare, Managing Director, DICDL, says: “Dholera has been in the making for almost nine years. Getting the development plans approved, TP schemes sanctioned and environmental compliances took almost seven years. Now that the planning and design is complete and construction of 5,600 acre in full swing, we are certain of our 2019 completion date.” European aviation giant Airbus has signed an MoU for a strategic partnership, which entails assessing the Dholera SIR region and providing inputs on the requirements and infrastructure specifications, particularly for developing an ecosystem of suppliers for the assembly, testing, delivery and maintenance of rotary and fixed wing aircraft, including Naval utility helicopters.