Overview: A High-Speed Lifeline to Dholera
The Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway (NH‑751) is a 109 km access-controlled highway currently nearing completion, expected to open by mid‑2025. Built under the Delhi‑Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and costing around ₹4,373–₹4,500 crore, the project will dramatically cut travel time between Ahmedabad and India’s first Greenfield smart city, Dholera, to just 40–45 minutes—down from over 2 hours previously.
🛤️ Route & Entry Point
The expressway begins at the Sardar Patel Ring Road near Sarkhej, southwest of Ahmedabad, close to the SP Ring Road–NH‑8A junction. It then travels south, passing through Sindhrej, Vejalaka, Pipli, and into Dholera SIR, terminating at Adhelai (Bhavnagar district).
🔄 Major Interchanges & Access
- Sarkhej Interchange (Km 0) – Exit point from SP Ring Road in Ahmedabad
- Sindhrej Interchange (Km 22) – Provides local access near Sindhrej village
- Vejalaka Interchange (Km 48) – Mid-route access point
- Pipli Junction (Km 70–80) – Key interchange near the future Dholera International Airport, with a ~9.5 km connecting road under development .
- Ambli Interchange (Km 90–100) – First major exit within Dholera SIR, providing access to industrial and smart city zones.
- Adhelai Interchange (Km 109) – Southern terminus connecting to Bhavnagar district and onward roads.
Toll plazas are under construction near Bhat (about 9.5 km from Ahmedabad) and Pipli (~70 km ahead). The Pipli toll plaza is planned to be fully automated/unmanned.
⏱️ Travel Time & Capacity
With a design speed of 120 km/h, the expressway is engineered for high-speed travel. It is initially four lanes wide, expandable to 8 or even 12 lanes, designed to handle roughly 25,000 vehicles per day in both directions.
Expected travel times:
- Ahmedabad to Dholera: ~40–45 minutes
- Ahmedabad to Bhavnagar: ~1 hour 45 minutes for approximately 141 km via expressway-plus-state highways .
🌱 Sustainability & Engineering Highlights
- Over 3.5 crore cubic meters of soil and 35 lakh cubic meters of Pirana landfill waste used in embankments; an eco-friendly model including 173 lakh m³ of fly ash, generating minimal environmental impact
- Plantation of nearly 97,000 trees and wildlife crossings ensure ecological integration and corridor continuity
- Future-ready design includes flexible central reservation (26 m wide), ready provisions for Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) and track corridors within the median .
📌 Strategic Significance for Dholera
This expressway is more than a road—it’s a development catalyst. By linking Ahmedabad, Dholera SIR, and the under-construction Dholera International Airport, it enhances regional access and boosts investor confidence. The corridor is expected to fuel industrial activity, residential projects, logistics infrastructure, and job growth across Gujarat’s flagship greenfield zone .
✅ Summary
The Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway (NH‑751) is poised to transform regional travel and infrastructure:
- 📍 Length: 109 km
- ⏱️ Travel Time: ~40–45 minutes from Ahmedabad to Dholera
- 🔄 Interchanges: Sarkhej, Sindhrej, Vejalaka, Pipli (airport link), Ambli, Adhelai
- 🚧 Status: 91% complete; expected operational by mid‑2025
- 🌱 Eco-features: Waste recycling, tree plantations, wildlife crossings
- 🔌 Future-ready: Designed for expansions, rail transit integration, and key connectivity to smart city, airport, and industrial nodes
