The Dholera A to Z
Every term you meet when you read about Dholera SIR, defined plainly and sourced. 48 entries, from Activation Area to Vaar.
7
7/12 Extract (Satbara)
The Gujarat land record showing ownership and cultivation details.
The 7/12 extract, also called Satbara, is a Gujarat land record document showing details of ownership, rights and cultivation for a survey number. Reviewing the 7/12 extract is a standard step in verifying title before purchase, alongside the sale deed, mother deed and Encumbrance Certificate. It helps confirm who legally holds the land.
A
ABCD Building
Dholera's administrative hub housing the smart-city command centre.
ABCD stands for Administrative cum Business Centre for Dholera, a building in the TP2 Knowledge and IT Zone on a plot of about 9 hectares. It houses the Integrated Command and Control Centre, authority offices and single-window clearance, and is designed to LEED Gold standard. It is reported as structurally complete and operational, though an exact inauguration date is not confirmed.
Activation Area
The ~22.5 sq km plug-and-play demo zone built first inside Dholera.
The Activation Area is the roughly 22.5 sq km first-phase zone (NICDC states 22.54 sq km) laid out inside Town Planning Scheme 2, about 4.25% of Dholera's developable land. It is the plug-and-play showcase where trunk roads, utilities and the ABCD building were built first. An older 2020 target of about 120,000 residents and 80,000 jobs for this zone has lapsed.
Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway
The ~109 km greenfield expressway linking Ahmedabad to Dholera.
The Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway is a 109 km, 4-lane greenfield access-controlled highway (expandable to 8 lanes) with a 120 km/h design speed, built by NHAI. It was reportedly inaugurated by PM Modi on 31 March 2026 and is operational, cutting the reported travel time to roughly 40 minutes to 1 hour. Cost figures of about Rs 3,196 crore for construction and about Rs 4,373 crore including land are reported by scope.
B
Bhal Region
The flat, low-lying coastal tract Dholera is built on.
Bhal is the name for the flat, low-lying coastal tract along the Gulf of Khambhat on which Dholera sits. The land is characterised by tidal flats and mangroves, with much of the developable area inside the Coastal Regulation Zone. Its low elevation makes drainage and flood management a real planning challenge.
Bigha
A traditional Gujarat land unit; not standardised, confirm locally.
Bigha is a traditional land-area unit used across Gujarat, commonly cited as about 2,500 sq yards (roughly half an acre) in the state. However the bigha is not standardised and varies by region, so its exact size should always be confirmed locally. Raw and agricultural land in Dholera is often quoted per bigha or per acre.
C
CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone)
Protected coastal land where development is restricted.
The Coastal Regulation Zone is protected coastal land subject to development restrictions. About one third of Dholera's developable land falls within the CRZ, given its position on the flat, low-lying Bhal coast of the Gulf of Khambhat. This constrains where and how construction can take place.
D
DFC (Dedicated Freight Corridor)
Freight-only railway lines in whose influence zone Dholera sits.
A Dedicated Freight Corridor is a freight-only railway line built to move goods efficiently. Dholera sits within the DMIC influence zone that is anchored on the Western DFC, though a confirmed dedicated Dholera spur is not reliably sourced. A separate Bhimnath-Dholera freight line was proposed under DMIC but has long been pending with no current timeline.
Dholera Satyagraha
The 1930 salt-law protest at Dholera port after Dandi.
The Dholera Satyagraha was a salt-law civil-disobedience action at Dholera port in April 1930, following Gandhi's breaking of the salt law at Dandi on 6 April 1930. Per the Gujarati Vishwakosh, Amritlal Seth led about 21 satyagrahis on 6 April and Balwantrai Mehta led a larger contingent around 13 April, with the poet Jhaverchand Meghani among the recruiters. It is a documented episode of the freedom movement tied to the area.
DICDL (Dholera Industrial City Development Ltd)
The special-purpose company that builds Dholera's city infrastructure.
DICDL, the Dholera Industrial City Development Ltd, is the special-purpose vehicle that develops the city's infrastructure; it was incorporated on 28 January 2016. Ownership is split between the Gujarat government (via DSIRDA) at 51% and the central government (NICDC Trust) at 49%. It executes the on-ground build-out of the Activation Area and trunk systems.
DMIC (Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor)
The national industrial corridor Dholera sits on as a major node.
The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor is a large industrial-development programme running between Delhi and Mumbai, and Dholera is one of its nodes, often reported as its largest. The corridor is coordinated centrally through NICDC (formerly DMICDC). Commentators such as Business Standard have documented delays across the wider DMIC programme.
DSIRDA (Dholera SIR Development Authority)
The statutory authority for planning and land in Dholera SIR.
DSIRDA is the statutory authority responsible for planning and land administration across the Dholera Special Investment Region. It sanctions the Town Planning schemes and holds a 51% stake in the build-out company DICDL on behalf of the Gujarat government. It is the body whose approvals govern land use and Final Plot allotment.
E
Encumbrance Certificate
A record showing a property is free of registered debts or charges.
An Encumbrance Certificate shows the registered transactions and any charges against a property over a period. In the documented Dholera title-verification process buyers review a 30-year Encumbrance Certificate along with the sale deed, mother deed, 7/12 extract and tax receipts. It helps confirm the land is free of hidden liabilities.
F
Final Plot (FP) Number
The plot ID allotted once a Town Planning scheme is finalised.
A Final Plot number, or FP number, is the identifier allotted to a reconstituted plot when a Town Planning scheme is finalised. FP allotment and TP-scheme status are among the direction-setting factors that influence a plot's standing. Buyers commonly check the FP status as part of confirming a plot's planning position.
FSI (Floor Space Index)
The ratio governing how much floor area a plot may be built up to.
FSI, or Floor Space Index, is the planning ratio that governs how much total floor area may be built on a plot relative to the plot's size. It is a standard tool in Town Planning schemes that shapes permitted density. Specific FSI figures for Dholera zones sit within DSIRDA planning documents.
G
GACL
An entity cited in reports as a likely operator of Dholera airport.
GACL is cited in reports as a likely operator of Dholera International Airport. The airport itself is built by the special-purpose company DIACL, owned by the Airports Authority of India (51%), Gujarat (33%) and NICDC (16%). Operator arrangements should be treated as reported rather than final.
GPCL (Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd)
The state agency for Dholera solar park Phase-I.
GPCL, Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd, is the state agency for Phase-I of the Dholera solar park, sanctioned at 1,000 MW per the CEA report as on September 2025. Of that, about 300 MW is commissioned, with 700 MW under development targeted for March 2027 and awarded to developers including Tata Power, Vena, ReNew, SJVN and TEQ Green. Some of that development has been delayed by tariff and regulatory disputes.
Greenfield City
A city planned and built from scratch on undeveloped land.
A greenfield city is one planned and built from the ground up on previously undeveloped land, as opposed to redeveloping an existing town. Dholera is a greenfield industrial smart city being built in phases over roughly 30 years. Claims that it is the biggest greenfield city in India or the world are unverified superlatives.
GUJRERA
Gujarat's real-estate regulator; verify a project here before paying.
GUJRERA is the Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority (gujrera.gujarat.gov.in), constituted under RERA 2016. Projects including plotted developments must register with it before marketing. Verifying the registration number and status on the GUJRERA portal is a standard due-diligence step before any payment.
Gulf of Khambhat
The coastal gulf (Cambay) along Dholera's western edge.
The Gulf of Khambhat, historically Cambay, is the arm of the Arabian Sea along Dholera's western coast. The region's flat, low-lying land, tidal flats and mangroves shape its geography, and a large share of developable land lies within the Coastal Regulation Zone. Drainage and flooding are documented planning constraints here.
I
ICCC (Integrated Command and Control Centre)
The smart-city brain monitoring utilities, traffic and surveillance.
The Integrated Command and Control Centre is the smart-city control room housed inside the ABCD building. It is designed to monitor water, power, lighting, surveillance, traffic and environment for the city. It is reported as operational within the Activation Area.
ISM (India Semiconductor Mission)
The central programme funding Dholera's chip fab.
The India Semiconductor Mission is the central government programme supporting semiconductor manufacturing in India. The Dholera Tata-PSMC fab was approved under ISM, which covers 50% of the eligible project cost, and the Fiscal Support Agreement was signed on 5 March 2025. PIB documentation cites a figure of Rs 91,526 crore for the project.
J
Jantri
Gujarat's government-notified reference land value for calculating duty.
Jantri is the Gujarat government's notified reference rate for land and property, used as a baseline for calculating stamp duty and registration charges. Actual transaction prices may differ from Jantri values. It is a key figure to check when estimating the cost of registering a purchase.
K
Khata
The property account record obtained after registering a purchase.
Khata is the property account record associated with a plot, obtained after a sale is registered. In the documented title process a buyer executes the deed, pays duty, completes biometric formalities at the sub-registrar and then obtains the Khata. It is part of establishing recorded ownership.
L
Land Pooling
The mechanism where landowners contribute land for planned reconstitution.
Land pooling is the mechanism, central to Gujarat's Town Planning schemes, in which landowners contribute their land for reconstitution into serviced plots, receiving a Final Plot in return once infrastructure is added. It underpins how Dholera's TP1 to TP6 schemes reorganise raw land into a planned layout. The wider land process for the SIR was litigated, with the Gujarat High Court staying acquisition in 2015 after farmer petitions.
LEED
A green-building certification standard; the ABCD building targets Gold.
LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a widely used green-building certification standard. Dholera's ABCD building is designed to the LEED Gold level. The rating reflects the smart city's stated emphasis on sustainable infrastructure.
Lothal
The ancient Harappan dock site near Dholera in the same district.
Lothal is an Indus Valley (Harappan) site in the same Ahmedabad district as Dholera, excavated by the ASI between 1955 and 1960 and described by the ASI as the world's earliest known dock. It is commonly cited as about 36 km from Dholera, an approximate distance. It gives the area deep historical significance.
M
MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System)
A proposed Ahmedabad-to-Dholera rapid transit link.
MRTS refers to a Mass Rapid Transit System; an Ahmedabad to Dholera SIR MRTS was reported as approved around January 2021. Its current status is unclear and it likely overlaps with, or has been superseded by, the 2026 semi-high-speed rail proposal. The Activation Area road network also reserves a corridor for rapid transit.
N
N.A. Land (Non-Agricultural)
Land legally converted to non-farm use before construction.
N.A. means Non-Agricultural, the legal status agricultural land must be converted to before construction is permitted. Under Gujarat rules land inside an approved Town Planning scheme is treated as N.A., though buyers should verify the effective status. Agricultural land marketed as being in the SIR without N.A. conversion is a documented red flag.
NICDC (formerly DMICDC)
The central nodal agency coordinating India's industrial corridors.
NICDC, the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation, is the central nodal agency for India's industrial corridors and was previously named DMICDC (Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation). Through the NICDC Trust the central government holds 49% of DICDL. NICDC publishes the widely cited Activation Area figure of about 22.54 sq km.
P
Plotted Development
A project selling serviced land plots rather than built units.
A plotted development is a project that sells serviced land plots rather than constructed buildings. Under RERA such projects must register with GUJRERA before they are marketed. Buyers should verify registration and title before paying, since unregistered projects are a documented red flag.
PSMC
The Taiwanese foundry partnering Tata on the Dholera fab.
PSMC, Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, is the Taiwanese foundry partner for the Dholera fab, working with Tata Electronics. The venture operates through the entity Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing Pvt Ltd. Together they are building the 300mm fab approved under the India Semiconductor Mission.
R
RERA
The 2016 real-estate law requiring project registration before sale.
RERA refers to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, which requires most real-estate projects, including plotted developments, to be registered before they are marketed. In Gujarat this is administered by GUJRERA. Buyers should verify a project's registration number and status before paying.
S
Sale Deed
The core legal document transferring ownership of a plot.
A sale deed is the primary legal document that transfers ownership of a property from seller to buyer. Verifying the sale deed and the mother deed is part of the standard title check before purchase. The deed is executed and then registered, at which point stamp duty and registration fees are paid.
Sarkhej-Dholera Rail
The proposed semi-high-speed rail from Sarkhej to Dholera.
The Sarkhej-Dholera rail is the Ahmedabad (Sarkhej) to Dholera semi-high-speed line reportedly cleared by the CCEA around 13 May 2026. It is planned as a roughly 134 km double-line at a cost of about Rs 20,667 crore, targeting completion in 2030-31 and a journey of about 45 minutes. These remain reported targets pending confirmation.
Semi-High-Speed Rail
A proposed fast rail line linking Ahmedabad and Dholera.
The Ahmedabad (Sarkhej) to Dholera semi-high-speed rail is a proposed double-line link reportedly cleared by the CCEA around 13 May 2026 at a cost of about Rs 20,667 crore over roughly 134 km, targeting a 2030-31 completion and a journey of about 45 minutes. A cited top speed of 220 km/h is single-sourced and should be treated with caution. These figures are reported targets, not completed facts.
Semiconductor Fab
A chip-fabrication plant; Dholera hosts India's Tata-PSMC fab project.
A semiconductor fab is a factory that manufactures integrated-circuit chips from silicon wafers. Dholera is the site of a fab by Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing Pvt Ltd with PSMC, approved by the Union Cabinet on 29 February 2024 at an investment of Rs 91,000 crore, with capacity up to 50,000 wafers per month. An earlier Vedanta-Foxconn venture for Dholera collapsed in 2023 and built nothing.
Single-Window Clearance
A one-stop approval facility for investors, based in the ABCD building.
Single-window clearance is a one-stop facility that consolidates the approvals an investor needs into a single point of contact. In Dholera this function is provided from the ABCD building alongside the authority offices. It is intended to speed up setting up in the region.
SIR (Special Investment Region)
A large statutory investment region defined under Gujarat law.
SIR stands for Special Investment Region, a category of large planned investment zone created under the Gujarat Special Investment Region Act, 2009. Dholera's full legal name is the Dholera Special Investment Region, though it is marketed as Dholera Smart City. It covers a planned area of about 920 sq km on the western coast of the Gulf of Khambhat.
Smart City
A city using integrated ICT systems to manage services.
A smart city uses integrated information and communication technology to manage services such as utilities, traffic and surveillance. Dholera is marketed as a smart city and runs an Integrated Command and Control Centre from its ABCD building. The label India's first smart city is imprecise; the first operational greenfield smart city claim applies to GIFT City.
Square Yard (Sq Yard)
A common plot-pricing unit; one sq yard equals 9 sq ft.
The square yard is a widely used unit for quoting developed plots in Dholera. One square yard equals 9 square feet, and one acre equals 4,840 square yards or 43,560 square feet. Developed plots are usually quoted per square yard or per square foot, while raw land is quoted per bigha or acre.
Stamp Duty
The state tax paid to register a property purchase in Gujarat.
Stamp duty is the state tax paid when a property transaction is registered. In Gujarat the current effective stamp duty is 4.9% (3.5% basic plus 1.4% surcharge), with a registration fee of 1% on top. A registration-fee waiver for property held in a woman's sole name is documented, while a separate claimed stamp-duty concession is not reliably corroborated.
T
Tata Electronics
The lead company behind Dholera's active semiconductor fab.
Tata Electronics is the lead partner behind Dholera's active semiconductor fab, delivered through Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing Pvt Ltd with Taiwan's PSMC. The project broke ground in March 2024, with civil work reported around 50% complete by May 2026 after a late-2025 redesign for local soil, and an ASML lithography MoU signed on 17 May 2026. A first chip is targeted for 2026-27, though no source confirms one has been produced.
TP Scheme (Town Planning Scheme)
A Gujarat land-pooling planning unit; Dholera is split into six.
A Town Planning scheme is the Gujarat planning instrument that reorganises raw land into serviced plots with roads and public spaces. Dholera is divided into six schemes, TP1 to TP6, all of whose draft schemes have been sanctioned. Phase-I combines TP1 (about 51 sq km) and TP2 (about 102 sq km), and TP2 holds the Activation Area and the ABCD building.
Trunk Infrastructure
The backbone roads and utility networks serving a whole zone.
Trunk infrastructure means the backbone systems, such as main roads, water, power and utility ducts, that serve a whole development area. In Dholera's Activation Area, reported trunk works include underground utilities, a water treatment plant of about 50 MLD and an internal road network of about 72 km. These systems are built ahead of individual plots.
U
Ultra-Mega Solar Park
Dholera's large solar park; ~300 MW live against a 5 GW target.
The Dholera Ultra-Mega Solar Power Park is a large solar-generation project with an ultimate announced target of 5,000 MW (5 GW) by around 2030, which is a target rather than installed capacity. Per the CEA report as on September 2025, Phase-I is sanctioned at 1,000 MW under Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd, with about 300 MW commissioned. Tata Power has commissioned a 300 MW plant here using 873,012 modules across 1,320 acres.
V
Vaar / Gaj
Local names for the square yard used in land pricing.
Vaar and gaj are local terms for the square yard, the unit in which developed plots are often quoted. One square yard equals 9 square feet. Because pricing units vary between square yard, square foot, bigha and acre, buyers should confirm which unit a quote uses.
W
Wafer
The thin silicon disc chips are fabricated on; Dholera's fab targets 300mm.
A wafer is the thin disc of silicon on which semiconductor chips are fabricated, and fab capacity is measured in wafers per month. Dholera's Tata-PSMC fab is planned as a 300mm facility with capacity up to 50,000 wafers per month. It targets mature and specialty nodes such as 28, 40, 55, 90 and 110 nm.