India’s Federal Government has approved the establishment of 12 new industrial smart cities across various states, with an initial investment of $300 million This initiative is part of a larger plan to create ‘plug and play’ industrial parks in or near 100 cities, as announced in the National Budget earlier this year. The project aims to boost India’s domestic manufacturing capabilities and create significant employment opportunities.
These smart cities will form part of an industrial corridor modeled after the Golden Quadrilateral, featuring advanced urban centers. The project is expected to generate 1 million direct jobs and up to 3 millon indirect jobs, while attracting an estimated 1.5 billion in investments. The Golden Quadrilateral connected Mumbai, Delhi, Chenai and Kolkata, India’s largest cities at the time via high speed, limited access highways, supplement by electrified rail lines and was completed a decade ago.
The infrastructure in these cities is designed for seamless operations and will incorporate not only ‘plug-n-play’ but also ‘walk-to-work’ concepts, catering to modern industry needs and promoting balanced regional development. The government will provide ready-to-allot land for investors to strengthen India’s position in global value chains.
Currently, eight industrial cities are at various stages of development, with trunk infrastructure already established in cities such as Dholera, (Gujarat) Auric, (Maharashtra) Vikram Udyogpuri, (Madhya Pradesh) and Krishnapatnam, (Andhra Pradesh). With the addition of these 12 cities, the total number of industrial smart cities in India will increase to 20.
These decisions demonstrate the government’s commitment to enhancing India’s manufacturing capabilities.
