Ahmedabad’s penchant for bold bets can be measured in acres. At a recent preparatory meeting, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice-president Ajay Patel gave an interesting example. “Paris has used 400 acres for its 2024 games. Ahmedabad has already acquired 1,000 acres.”In fact, the city is preparing for the 2030 Commonwealth Games (CWG), the centenary edition and India’s first since Delhi 2010. But almost the biggest decision that is being taken today is made with a great ambition: to place Ahmedabad as the host city for the 2036 Olympic Games. “The 2030 CWG is a preparation game for the 2036 Olympic Games,” said Patel. While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expected to make the final call for the 2036 host by the end of 2029, Gujarat has already started construction as if the Olympics are coming.A drive through Motera shows the extent of the desire. Construction, excavation and scaffolding dominate the atmosphere as roads, stadiums, tracks and hotels are built for an event that is still four years away.The master planThe center of this change is Rs 5,050-crore Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave (SVPSE), is coming up around the Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket venue with a capacity of 1.32 lakh. The stadium is expected to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the CWG. The facility will have a 12,000-person water sports facility, an 18,000-person tennis court, and indoor basketball courts, gymnastics, volleyball, skateboarding, figure skating and climbing. For this project, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) changed the land use plans in Sabarmati and Koteshwar, freeing up about 14.5 lakh square meters.Unlike several previous multi-sport events where venues struggled to find a purpose after the Games, Gujarat says plans to join the project were laid out in the project from the start. “We are adopting a resource utilization approach rather than an ROI approach,” Gujarat deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi, who chaired the CWG bid for Ahmedabad, told TOI. “CWG infrastructure is a long-term investment in Ahmedabad’s transformation into a world-class Olympic venue, not a cheap one.“The site will serve as a Games Plaza throughout the year, hosting sporting events, concerts and exhibitions, and the breaking of the work will be demonstrated within five to seven years. A dedicated Infrastructure Legacy & Operations Trust (ILOT) is being formed to manage the facilities at Motera and Naranpura Sports Complex.The gameplay continues beyond Motera. About 11km away, at Karai in Gandhinagar, a 50,000-capacity stadium and a world-class shooting range are under construction. The Rs 825-crore Naranpura Sports Complex is already operational, with facilities for badminton, squash, table tennis and regular Olympic swimming.Additional sports facilities have been completed in Vastral, while others are under construction in Gota, Ghuma, Naroda and Nikol. In all, 22 competition centers have been completed in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. Sanghavi has set a deadline. “All major equipment will be ready by the end of 2029, and take off in early 2030 for testing. By the time the runners and tourists arrive, Ahmedabad will be fully prepared, with facilities, transport and support systems working seamlessly.“The city is 30 minutes awayThe change, however, continues far beyond the stadiums. Ahmedabad’s traffic volume is growing at around 9% annually, outpacing the national average. To avoid disruption to the game, planners have adopted what officials describe as “30 minutes of the city”. The goal is simple: every runner, official and spectator will be able to travel between the venues, hotels and training centers within 30 minutes.The existing 168km Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), which carries more than 2.2 lakh passengers per day, will be integrated with the expanding Metro network. The new north-south Metro line and the parallel Neo Metro or light rail system are designed to carry around 70,000 passengers per hour in each direction.The Rs 472-crore integrated ticket system will allow commuters to use a single QR code across Metro, BRTS and a planned fleet of 3,000 electric buses. The road network is also being expanded. New highways and north-south and east-west corridors are being planned, while more than 100 roads are being widened. At the same time, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is preparing for a huge increase in traffic. The new hub is expected to double its annual capacity, while airports in Dholera, Vadodara and Surat could handle the influx during the Olympics.Budget and sponsorsFunding for this project will require multiple sources of funding. According to Gujarat’s Olympic bid estimate, the budget committee can range from Rs 18,557 crore to Rs 41,031 crore, while the main investment in infrastructure is expected to be between Rs 16,060 crore and Rs 22,878 crore. The government is planning to rely more on cooperation between people and organizations, especially in the Olympic Village and the International Broadcast Center. It is also running the ‘Adopt a Sport’ program to encourage organizations to support athlete development and infrastructure through corporate funding.Officials cite Gujarat’s investment in sports as evidence of its long-term commitment. The state sports budget has increased from Rs 2.5 crore in 2002 to Rs 521 crore today, while the Khel Mahakumbh program now attracts more than 7 million people a year.Village is workAccommodation is still one of the biggest challenges. The proposed Olympic Village, located 5 km from the Narendra Modi Stadium, will have 2,191 rooms that can accommodate over 17,500 athletes. The apartments are slated to be converted into luxury apartments.The shortage of hotels poses a serious problem. Ahmedabad currently has more than 5,400 star rooms, while the long-term demand for the Olympics is estimated at around one lakh. The aim is to raise 40,000 rooms ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games through the hotel’s new subsidized policy. Plots of land have already been earmarked for development, while neighboring cities such as Vadodara and Mehsana are expected to pick up some of the demand.Green promisesThe change also has a fixed default policy. Ahmedabad is committed to powering the anticipated Olympic Games entirely using renewable energy, with the help of a battery storage system. 6 million trees have already been planted against a target of 10 million, with each competition site expected to recycle and reuse all waste water.(With suggestions from Kapil Dave and Thanks Dave)
