Gujarat plans 7 more SIRs

Stepping on the gas in the New Year, Gujarat government has moved to set up seven new special investment regions (SIRs) at Sanand and Changodar, both in Ahmedabad district; Aliabet, an island in the mouth of Narmada river falling in the Gulf of Khambhat; Navlakhi, a port on the eastern tip of the Gulf of Kutch; Pipavav and Simar along the southern Saurashtra coast; and Anjar in Kutch district. Once through, it will take the total number of SIRs in Gujarat to 13. SIRs are especially notified industrial-cum-residential zones, each 100 sq km or more, to be developed under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Of the six SIR proposals already through, two, at Dholera and Dahej, are under implementation. Four others, for which a decision has been taken, are in the Palanpur-Mehsana, Vadodara-Ankleshwar, Bharuch-Dahej and Surat-Navsari belts. A project report for developing Sanand and Changodar SIRs is being prepared by Mott MacDonald, a renowned consultant. Consultants for others include PricewaterhouseCoopers, Voyant and Cept University, sources said. “Sanand and Changodar SIRs will be 138 and 401 sq km respectively. As the distance between the two is unlikely to be more than five kilometres, in the long run, both will be converted into one huge SIR. The Tata Motors’ Nano unit and the planned Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estate next to it will be part of Sanand SIR. As for Changodar, the area chosen is behind the industrial belt along the highway to Rajkot. The SIR at Aliabet island has been notified as entertainment and tourism zone. It will be of 169 sq km, though it may take some time before the Gujarat government kickstarts infrastructure development on this uninhabited island. “It will be necessary to take forest and environmental clearance for its development,” a senior official said. As for Pipavav, Simar and Navlakhi, there is huge development of port traffic here. A major reason why the idea of setting up more SIRs has picked up is that under the SIR Act, passed in January 2009, land acquisition for industrial and residential purpose in SIR is extremely easy. Besides, all authority is vested in Regional Development Authority (RDA) of the notified SIR, with local bodies like panchayats having no powers. An apex body, like GIDC or GIDB, monitors quick development.