To give wings to India’s dream to host 2036 Olympics, Ahmedabad’s Rs 6,000-crore plan

Besides six new stadiums with a total capacity of over 1 lakh, the sports enclave will include the existing 1.10 lakh-seater Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. According to a Gujarat Olympic Planning and Infrastructure Corporation Limited (GOLYMPIC) official, the “Olympic-standard” infrastructure is expected to come up along the 2-km phase-II stretch of the Sabarmati riverfront, which is currently under construction.

The proposed basketball arena will have a seating capacity of 5,000. (Courtesy: Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority)

M Thennarasan, the Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner and CEO and MD of GOLYMPICS, said, “The master plan is more or less ready. Further inputs from various stakeholders will be taken.”

D P Desai, the CEO of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA), which is one of the executing bodies, said the design and implementation of the sports enclave is currently underway. “The tender for the sports enclave, including six stadiums, is out. National and international consultants have already expressed interest. While sports infrastructure will be developed immediately, the plan for the Olympics Village (for residential and other facilities) will be finalised only after clarity on the bid,” Desai told The Indian Express. While there is no fixed deadline, the decision on who will host the 2036 Olympics is expected to be taken before 2026-27.

Ashwani Kumar, the Principal Secretary in Gujarat’s Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, and the GOLYMPIC Chair, told The Indian Express, “Bids for design and implementation have been invited. Following the civil work tender process, work is expected to start from October 2024 and end within 3.5 years. With this sports enclave and other sports infrastructure, Ahmedabad will become the sports capital of India.”

The proposed multipurpose indoor arena will have a seating capacity of 18,000. (Courtesy: Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority)

On seating capacity of the six stadiums in the proposed sports enclave, an official said the football stadium will have a capacity to seat 50,000, the basketball arena 5,000, the multipurpose indoor arena 18,000, the tennis centre 10,000, the volleyball stadium 12,000 and the aquatics centre 12,000.

A senior official said multiple cities like Surat were contenders for the Games earlier, but the “focus” has now shifted on Ahmedabad.

Though neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor the Indian Olympic Association have taken any names so far, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently named Ahmedabad. Shah even chaired meetings with the state to review preparations. In 2022, while hearing a plea by Cube Construction Private Ltd that challenged the disqualification of its bid for a Rs 590-crore sports complex, Advocate General Kamal Trivedi had told the Gujarat High Court that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was scheduled to visit Gujarat in 2025. The court dismissed the plea in April 2022.

The proposed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave is expected to come up along the Sabarmati riverfront. (Courtesy: Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority)

Ring of Unity, the main attraction

Talking about one of the enclave’s main attractions, the Ring of Unity, AUDA’s Desai said, “The Ring will be a unique structure. Ahmedabad city will be known for it.”

The 4-acre recreational and activity centre will have a diameter of 150 metres. Planned as a space for hosting cultural and social events, including festivals, and a commercial space too, the Ring will have the capacity to hold 5,000 persons, with an extended capacity to hold 12,000 more in temporary structures.

“The Ring has also been designed as a place where people can go on a daily basis. An outdoor amphitheatre-like seating space has also been planned for day-to-day events. On game days, giant screens can be placed outdoors to screen events,” said a senior government official, adding that it will have an open plaza, walkways and a deck facing the riverfront.

The proposed Ring of Unity, a recreational and activity centre. (Courtesy: Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority)

Besides food and beverage facilities located near the Ring, there is a provision for basement parking along the riverfront. The Ring will also be located at “walking distance” from metro stations.

The proposed master plan has clustered over 20 Olympic sporting venues into four distinct precincts across the twin cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. With a focus on “legacy and growth”, an official said, a “state-of-the-art” Olympic Village and supporting facilities for athletes, officials and the media will be located within a 30-minute distance.

A senior official added, “We are making attempts to bring down the cost and make changes in the International Broadcast Centre (or IBC, a temporary hub for broadcasters during major sport events).”

The site of the proposed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave near Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad’s Motera locality. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

The Gujarat government has suggested using the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre or the Helipad Ground, both in Gandhinagar, as the IBC. The Vibrant Gujarat summit and the Global Trade Show were held at these venues recently.

To ensure that all venues and clusters are connected “during and beyond the Games”, an “efficient” public transportation system is also being developed. The location of the upcoming multimodal transport hub at Sabarmati, which includes the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train, the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar metro rail, the Western Railway track and the Ahmedabad City bus service, will be strategic to this plan, officials said.

AUDA’s Desai added, “By hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we will offer the world the most unique and memorable experiences. With one of the largest youth populations in the world, India hosting the Games will amplify the impact of the Olympic movements.”