Year
2023Duration
10 yearsCost
estimated $20bnLocation
IndiaProject achievements
Economy boosted
Creating over 20,000 jobs
Used engineering skill
Features India's first district cooling system
Area improved
Attracting international investment to the region
Build a ‘smart city’ for banks, financial institutions and tech firms from scratch
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) is a business district on the banks of the Sabarmati river in Gujarat state, India.
GIFT City aims to be a ‘smart city’ for India’s growing finance and technology sectors.
It hopes that a promise of ‘intelligent design’ and the most modern infrastructure – including gas, electricity and transport – will attract businesses from other parts of India as well as overseas.
The business district was built between Ahmedabad and Gandhinigar. Construction started on the 886 acre site in 2013.
Project designers aimed to build ‘state of the art connectivity’ and urban transport systems into the city from the ground up.
The scheme also intends to make services such as telecoms and broadband – as well as environmental protection – key parts of the city’s design.
"India is building a new city to give global investors an easy way into its booming economy.”
CNN MONEY On GIFT City, March 2018
Did you know …
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Although GIFT City hopes its smart infrastructure will attract businesses to make the district their home, city bosses are also using tax breaks to encourage investment.
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The city has its own financial regulator with a brief to slash red tape [official processes] for overseas companies.
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A decision by the India government to stop sharing data with foreign counterparts may help bring more currency and commodity trading to the business district.
How was GIFT City built?
Building a ‘smart city’ from scratch has given engineers the opportunity to plan for future growth while preserving quality of living for its residents.
GIFT City’s ‘round up design has also allowed engineers the chance to create an effective mass transit system while still making the streets pedestrian-friendly – encouraging locals to walk where they can.
Traffic planning has also accounted for electric vehicles by installing charging stations in the city.
Other design innovations include putting all electricity cables and gas pipes underground to make maintenance easier. This means roads don't need to be dug up to conduct repairs on utilities.
The district will also see the first city-wide cooling system in India. The scheme saves money as there’s no need to put air conditioning (AC) into individual buildings.
District cooling also uses 30% less energy than traditional AC and helps reduce the heat island effect.
The city has a smart water management system that ensures supply is available at all times. It also recycles sewage, treating water so that it can be reused.
Waste disposal is through a vacuum system of underground pneumatic pipes. Waste is sucked through the pipes and sealed in containers to make recycling easier.
Difference the new tech city will make
GIFT City has created over 20,000 employment opportunities.
It’s expected that Gujarat state’s growing financial industry will get a major boost from new companies attracted to the development.
Over 500 entities are now operational at GIFT City. Partnerships in development include Google, Oracle, IBM and HSBC.
As well as housing, GIFT City is home to schools, hospitals, and sports and cultural centres.
People who made it happen
- Client: the government of Gujarat
- Design: East China Architectural Design and Research Institute, Fairwood Consultants India
