
After easing prohibition rules in GIFT City, the Gujarat government is now considering allowing the consumption and sale of liquor within the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) — the smart industrial city being positioned to attract investment in new-age sectors such as data centres and semiconductor manufacturing.
Top government sources say the proposal is at an advanced stage of deliberation, with an announcement expected soon. "The proposed relaxations in prohibition laws at Dholera SIR will be identical to those offered at GIFT City. Officials of various departments are holding deliberations to chalk out the final draft of the proposal," a senior source confirmed.
Officials frame the move as part of the state's push to make Dholera a globally competitive industrial destination. "It is necessary to create a conducive environment, as a large number of foreign nationals and those from other parts of the country are expected to work at Dholera SIR," a source said. Construction of a luxury hotel in Dholera is nearing completion, and other amenities are also being set up.
The relaxation already in place at GIFT City — Gujarat's global financial hub — lets employees and authorised visitors buy and consume alcohol within designated, licensed premises, bypassing the statewide prohibition.
If extended to Dholera on identical terms, the same framework would apply within the SIR's designated zones — a notable signal of how far the state is willing to go to make the corridor attractive to international firms and their workforce.
Source: The Times of India.