Ahmedabad Airport-Sabarmati Riverfront Tunnel Gets Green Light After 3 Years

Quick Summary 

• The Gujarat Urban Development Department has given preliminary approval to the TP Scheme No. 67 (Hansol) alignment for the Ahmedabad Airport–Sabarmati Riverfront tunnel. 

• The project was stuck for nearly three years because the Army had not cleared the route, which passes under the Cantonment's firing range. 

• This approval secures land for a 24-metre approach road near The Ummed hotel. It is not the final Army NOC or construction clearance. 

• The tunnel will run from the Sardar Patel statue at the airport, through Airport Circle, and connect to a 24-metre road on the riverfront's eastern bank. 

• SRFDCL got 70,000–80,000 sq.m of Cantonment land on lease at no cost, in exchange for building army quarters worth ₹24.3 crore in Bhuj and ₹15.9 crore in Dhrangadhra. 

• A separate 5.8 km road under the ₹850 crore Riverfront Phase 2 project will link the airport to the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave and Narendra Modi Stadium. 

• The project matters for Ahmedabad's 2030 Commonwealth Games preparation and India's possible 2036 Olympics bid. 

• Construction timing still depends on the Army's NOC, technical clearance, funding, and appointment of a contractor. 

Ahmedabad's long-pending plan to link the airport directly with the Sabarmati Riverfront has moved forward. 

On 20 August 2026, the state Urban Development Department (UDD) gave preliminary approval to the alignment of TP Scheme No. 67 in Hansol. This scheme carries the proposed tunnel that will connect Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport with the riverfront. 

For homebuyers and investors tracking Ahmedabad's infrastructure, this matters. It directly affects connectivity around the airport corridor, Motera, and the riverfront belt. 

Why This Approval Matters 

The tunnel idea is not new. It has been stuck for nearly three years. 

The reason is simple. Part of the route runs under the Army Cantonment's firing range. The Army had not issued a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for it. Without that NOC, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL) could not move ahead. 

With the TP Scheme now cleared at the preliminary stage, the land for a 24-metre-wide approach road near The Ummed hotel is protected from other use. 

This is an important step. But it is not the finish line. The Army's final NOC and construction-stage clearances are still pending. Tunnel construction has not started yet. 

The Planned Route 

According to the approved alignment, the tunnel will: 

1. Start near the Sardar Patel statue inside the airport premises. 

2. Pass through the area near Airport Circle, close to a five-star hotel. 

3. Connect to the 24-metre road being built along the eastern bank of the Sabarmati Riverfront under Phase 2. 

The goal is a fast, direct link between the airport, the riverfront, and the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave near Narendra Modi Stadium. 

The Army Land Deal Behind the Project 

To secure land for the project, SRFDCL leased around 70,000 to 80,000 square metres of Cantonment land from the Army. No cash changed hands. 

Instead, SRFDCL agreed to build residential quarters for army personnel in two other towns: 

• Bhuj: quarters built at a cost of ₹24.3 crore 

• Dhrangadhra: quarters built at a cost of ₹15.9 crore 

These are SRFDCL's first construction projects outside the riverfront area itself. 

The Bigger Connectivity Plan: Riverfront Phase 2 

The tunnel is one piece of a larger plan. Under Sabarmati Riverfront Phase 2, budgeted at roughly ₹850 crore, SRFDCL is building direct links between the airport, the sports enclave, and the stadium. This includes: 

• A 5.8 km road on the eastern bank, running parallel to the river. 

• A separate 30-metre-wide road on the western bank, behind the Motera stadium complex. 

• Extension of the riverfront zone from Subhash Bridge to Indira Bridge. 

Other Options AMC Has Considered 

The tunnel is not the only idea on the table. In October 2025, a Times of India report said AMC and airport officials were also studying two other ways to ease traffic at the single entry-exit point of Airport Circle: 

• An elevated corridor, similar to the one near Delhi Airport, running from Shahibaug-Sadar Bazaar into the airport. 

• A separate corridor connecting the airport with Indira Bridge. 

At that stage, officials were even considering opening the Cantonment stretch with high boundary walls for security, as a fallback if the tunnel's Army clearance kept getting delayed. The fresh TP Scheme 67 approval this month suggests the tunnel route is now back on track as the preferred plan. 

Why Ahmedabad Needs This Now 

Ahmedabad is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. It is also part of India's possible bid for the 2036 Olympics. 

The Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, coming up on about 650 acres near Narendra Modi Stadium at a cost of ₹5,050 crore, is expected to be ready by December 2028. Once it opens, traffic around the airport and riverfront is expected to rise sharply. That is why fast, dependable connectivity between the airport, riverfront, and sports enclave has stayed a city priority despite the delays. 

What Happens Next 

The preliminary TP Scheme approval lets AMC and SRFDCL move ahead with design finalisation, technical studies, and remaining approvals. The construction timeline still depends on four things: 

1. Final NOC from the Army 

2. Technical and engineering clearances 

3. Funding arrangements 

4. Appointment of the executing agency 

There is no confirmed start date or completion date for the tunnel yet. The riverfront-side road work under Phase 2 is already moving forward separately. 

What It Means for Property Buyers 

Roads and connectivity projects tend to lift property demand well before construction is complete. A confirmed link between the airport and the riverfront-stadium belt adds long-term value to areas like Motera, Sabarmati, Chandkheda, and the eastern riverfront stretch. 

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