Creating dynamic, people oriented cities of the future: The Gujarat Experience

Published By : Admin | August 21, 2013 | 12:05 IST

According to some estimates, India will need 500 new cities in the next two decades. Existing infrastructure is barely able to meet the needs of residents with significant shortfalls in the areas of power supply, water & sanitation, housing and transportation. Urban and infrastructure development are critical issues facing India and the Gujarat experience provides multiple lessons. On the back of its infrastructure, even with only 5% of population and 6% of the geographical area, Gujarat contributes to 25% of India’s exports, 17% of Indian Industrial output and 37% of the cargo handled by ports in India (up from 29% in 2000). Here are a few learnings of how it has been able to achieve leadership in areas of urban development, energy, water & transportation.

Gujarat’s % share in total shipping traffic of India

Total traffic at major and minor shipping ports (‘000 Tonnes)- Note the substantial improvement of Gujarat’s numbers

Urban Development: Cities are the hub for human development and help attract investments and improve quality of life. Urban development requires both creation of new cities as well as development of existing cities. New cities face significant regulatory, governance and infrastructure challenges. Keeping these challenges in mind, Gujarat pioneered the concept of SIR (Special Investment Regions) in the country. Gujarat passed the SIR act in 2009 to enable local governance for these regions and is now developing thirteen SIR cities in the state including the flagship Dholera project on the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).

Dholera with 2 million planned residents will be among the top fifteen cities in India and double the size of last planned city Chandigarh which is 45th  in terms of size in India.  Dholera comes with highway and metro connectivity to cities like Ahmedabad as well as high end technology access. Similarly GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tech-City) is another 986 acre greenfield development initiative at advanced stage of development which will offer one of the best options to entrepreneurs and residents.

In terms of development of existing city development, Ahmedabad is a good example. Sabarmati riverfront was transformed in line with other world-class cities like Paris, London, Singapore etc. Ahmedabad BRTS (Bus Rapid Transport System) is the only successful BRTS in India and was awarded by ITDP (USA) for showing how large cities can reduce carbon emissions with smart systems.

Energy: Gujarat pioneered the development of parallel grid system to provide quality and continuous power supply to farms, households and industry (an idea now being replicated across states). In addition, an aggressive clean power generation focus was developed in areas like solar power where Gujarat now has 2/3 of India’s solar power capacity. 

Power Supply Situation in Top Five States (2013-14)

Source: CEA

To reduce distribution losses, special police stations and community reporting was started to control power theft and state electricity board started turning profits.

The results was 24X7 three phase, high quality power across the state with distribution losses going down to 20% from 35%. The results are all the more outstanding when compared to top five power consuming states in India which suffer power upto 25% power deficit while Gujarat is power surplus.

Similarly in gas sector, Gujarat is the only state to have two LNG terminals plus a state wide gas grid of 2,400 km built with private participation.

Water: A massive water harvesting and conservation campaign was started with development of 650,000 water management structures. Community based 14,000 water committees for drinking water distribution & management, a concept which has since been awarded by UN. A state wide water grid of 1,900 km of bulk pipelines, 100,000 km of distribution pipelines with filtration plants covering 10,000 villages was setup which is now able to supply tap water to 75% of households.

Gujarat also became the only state in the country where ground water level has risen, thus assuring high quality water supply for generations to come.

Transportation: A focus on roads led to 92% paved roads in Gujarat vs a national average of 58%. Gujarat also has the highest road network density per sq km in India.  Currently, it takes around 2 days to travel from Ahmedabad  to Delhi by road. Through DMIC, Government envisages creating roads where one can travel from Ahmedabad to Delhi in just 5-6 hours by road, which is on the similar lines of highways in foreign countries like Japan, China, United States etc.

Gujarat’s marine policy is now being replicated by many other states and led to 37% of India’s sea cargo carried by Gujarat ports alone. Similarly, Gujarat has the highest number of airports in the country (fourteen including one international airport).

Gujarat also developed the largest fiber optic network in Asia which connects all government offices right up to 18,000 villages.

The result of this infrastructure and urban development is evident in the quality of life and industrial growth in the state. Gujarat also leads the country in per capita income growth and industrial output. For states with rich potential like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and may of those who will be newly formed, it is prudent to share more successful ideas especially as most infrastructure development companies come from the region. If one collaborates on bigger ideas backed by great vision the urban landscape of India can change. The people of the two states as well as the rest of the country can benefit immensely if the best ideas and successes from Gujarat in the areas of urban and infrastructure development are used as case studies across the country.

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We shall work together to shape Cyprus’s “Vision 2035” and our vision of a “Viksit Bharat 2047": PM Modi
June 18, 2025

Your Excellency, Honourable President,
Distinguished delegates from both nations,
Friends from the media,

Namaskar!
Kalimera!

At the very outset, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Honourable President for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality. Since the moment I set foot on the soil of Cyprus yesterday, the warmth and affection shown by the President and the people of this country have truly touched my heart.

A short while ago, I was conferred with a prestigious honour by Cyprus. This accolade is not mine alone — it is a tribute to the 140 crore Indians. It symbolises the enduring friendship between India and Cyprus. I express my sincere thanks, once again, for this honour.

Friends,

We attach great importance to our relations with Cyprus. Our shared commitment to values such as democracy and the rule of law forms the strong foundation of our partnership. The friendship between India and Cyprus is not one that has emerged out of circumstances, nor is it confined by borders.

It has withstood the test of time, again and again. In every era, we have upheld the spirit of cooperation, respect and mutual support. We honour each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Friends,

This visit marks the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Cyprus in over two decades. It presents a golden opportunity to script a new chapter in our bilateral relations. Today, the Honourable President and I held extensive discussions on all aspects of our partnership.

There are many similarities between Cyprus’s “Vision 2035” and our vision of a “Viksit Bharat 2047”. Therefore, we shall work together to shape our shared future. To provide strategic direction to our partnership, we will develop a concrete roadmap for the next five years.

To further strengthen our defence and security cooperation, the bilateral Defence Cooperation Programme will focus on defence industry collaboration. Separate dialogues will be initiated on cyber and maritime security.

We are deeply grateful to Cyprus for its consistent support of Bharat's fight against cross-border terrorism. To combat terrorism, drug trafficking and arms smuggling, a mechanism will be established for real-time information exchange between our respective agencies. We both agree that there is immense potential in enhancing bilateral trade and investment.

Yesterday, during my interaction with the Honourable President, I sensed great enthusiasm and synergy within the business community regarding our economic ties. We are working towards concluding a mutually beneficial India-EU Free Trade Agreement by the end of the year.

This year, the “India-Cyprus-Greece Business and Investment Council” has also been launched. Such initiatives will boost bilateral trade and investment between our countries.

We also held detailed discussions on expanding cooperation in areas such as technology, innovation, health, agriculture, renewable energy, and climate justice. We are encouraged by the growing popularity of yoga and Ayurveda in Cyprus.

Cyprus is a preferred destination for Indian tourists as well. We shall work towards establishing direct air connectivity to facilitate their travel. We have resolved to expedite the finalisation of a Mobility Agreement.

Friends,

Within the European Union, Cyprus is our trusted partner. We extend our best wishes for Cyprus’s upcoming Presidency of the European Union next year. We are confident that, under your leadership, India-EU relations will reach new heights.

Both nations share common views on the need to reform the United Nations to make it more representative. We are grateful to Cyprus for its support of Bharat's bid for permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

We have expressed concern over ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Europe. The adverse impact of these conflicts is not limited to their respective regions alone. We both agree that this is not an era of war.

Dialogue and the restoration of stability are the calls of humanity. We also discussed enhancing connectivity with the Mediterranean region. We concur that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor will pave the way for peace and prosperity in the region.

Honourable President,

I extend a cordial invitation to you to visit Bharat. I look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you to Bharat at the earliest.

Once again, I sincerely thank you for the exceptional hospitality and honour.