The Gujarat Special Investment Region Act, 2009 is the state law that makes a project like Dholera possible. It lets Gujarat declare, plan, develop and regulate very large investment regions as global economic hubs, and it sets up the authorities that run them. Here is what it does, in plain language, with links to official sources.
Last updated 16 July 2026
The purpose of the Act is to give Gujarat a clear legal framework for building large, planned economic regions. Rather than letting industry grow piecemeal, the Act lets the state government formally declare a defined area as a Special Investment Region, put a single authority in charge of it, and develop it with world-class infrastructure so it can attract large-scale investment and function as a global economic hub. [1]
In short, it turns a stretch of land into a governed, master-planned investment region with statutory backing, which is exactly what was needed to create Dholera.
The Act recognises more than one kind of region, defined partly by minimum area. The two most commonly cited are below.
| Type | Minimum area | In brief |
|---|---|---|
| Special Investment Region (SIR) | 100 sq km | A very large, master-planned region intended as a global economic hub. Dholera SIR is planned across about 920 sq km. [1][2] |
| Industrial Area | 50 sq km | A smaller planned industrial zone under the same law. [1] |
The Act does not just define regions; it sets up who runs them. It creates a layered structure, an apex policy body at the top, a regional development authority on the ground, and, for Dholera, a joint special purpose vehicle to actually build the city.
The chain, simply put. The Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB) is the apex, highest policy-making body for Special Investment Regions in the state. DSIRDA, the Dholera Special Investment Region Development Authority, is the regional authority constituted under the Act to plan and develop Dholera and manage government land within it. DICDL, the special purpose vehicle, then builds the region on the ground. [2][3]
| Body | Role under / around the Act |
|---|---|
| GIDB Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board | The apex, highest policy-making body for Special Investment Regions in Gujarat. [2] |
| DSIRDA Dholera SIR Development Authority | The regional development authority, constituted under the Gujarat SIR Act, 2009. Plans and develops the region and manages government land within it. [1][2] |
| DICDL Dholera Industrial City Development Ltd | The special purpose vehicle that builds Dholera on the ground, co-owned by the state and the centre. [3] |
Without this law, there would be no statutory authority to plan Dholera at the scale it is being built, no clear body to assemble and manage land through Town Planning Schemes, and no single regulator for the region. The Act is the legal spine that lets the centre and the state jointly develop Dholera as the first industrial node of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
Note: exact definitions, thresholds and procedures are set out in the official Act and its rules. Always confirm current terms on the government portals linked in Sources below before making decisions.
It is the state law that lets the Government of Gujarat declare, plan, develop and regulate large investment regions as global economic hubs supported by world-class infrastructure. It is the legal foundation for regions such as Dholera. [1]
Under the Act, a Special Investment Region has a minimum area of 100 sq km, and an Industrial Area a minimum of 50 sq km. Dholera SIR is planned across about 920 sq km. [1][2]
The Dholera Special Investment Region Development Authority is the regional development authority for Dholera, constituted under the Act. It plans and develops the region and manages government land within it. [1][2]
The Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB) is the apex, highest policy-making body for Special Investment Regions in Gujarat, above the regional authority and the SPV. [2]
The Act creates the authority structure, an apex board, a regional development authority (DSIRDA) and a special purpose vehicle (DICDL), which together plan, develop and regulate Dholera SIR. [2][3]
See how the Act fits the bigger picture in our government, policy & schemes guide. Then read about DICDL, the Dholera SPV, and the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. For dated developments, see our news & updates, or ask our AI.