Gujarat Unveils ₹1,331 Cr Sports Push to Turn Ahmedabad into ‘Olympic-Ready’ City

The Gujarat government has unveiled an ambitious sports development plan, allocating ₹1,331 crore for the sports sector as part of a broader ₹2,006 crore budget for sports, youth and cultural activities , with a long-term goal of transforming the state into a major sporting hub and preparing Ahmedabad as an “Olympic-ready” city . The announcement was made in the state Assembly by minister Jitu Vaghani , speaking on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi , who holds the sports portfolio.

A key component of the strategy is Gujarat’s ambition to support India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games , a vision earlier voiced by Amit Shah . In line with this goal, the state plans to invest around ₹500 crore to develop Ahmedabad into a global sporting destination, capable of hosting major international competitions.

Central to the plan is the development of the SVP Sports Enclave near the Narendra Modi Stadium , spread across 335 acres . The complex will include an Olympic-standard aquatic centre with a 12,000-seat capacity , a 24,000-seat tennis centre, and an 18,000-capacity indoor arena. These facilities are intended not only for global tournaments but also as high-performance training centres for athletes. In addition, a modern Olympic Games Village accommodating around 17,500 athletes will be constructed at Bhat village near Ahmedabad.

Further infrastructure projects include a 50,000-seat athletics stadium and a modern shooting range at the Gujarat Police Academy campus in Karai near Gandhinagar. The state has also earmarked ₹165 crore for new sports complexes across districts, ₹100 crore for Olympic-level facilities at Karai, and ₹90 crore for a world-class hockey stadium, signalling a broad push to strengthen sports infrastructure across the state.

Alongside large-scale infrastructure investments, the government is emphasising grassroots sports promotion . Initiatives such as Khel Mahakumbh have significantly expanded participation, with the number of participants rising from 16.5 lakh in 2010 to nearly 72 lakh in 2025–26. The In-School sports training programme is currently providing coaching to more than 1.29 lakh children in 230 schools, while over 5,300 promising athletes are being trained annually with an investment of around ₹95 crore.

Officials believe the large-scale investments could have significant economic and sporting impacts , including boosting sports tourism, creating jobs in infrastructure and event management, and improving India’s competitiveness in international sports. By combining world-class facilities with grassroots athlete development, Gujarat aims to position itself as a global sports destination while nurturing the next generation of Indian athletes.