News Brief
Surat Unveils Gujarat’s First Bullet Train-Linked Town Planning Scheme To Transform Station Zones
A bullet train (Photo via NHRSCL Website) (Representative Image)
Surat has become the first city in Gujarat to launch a town planning scheme linked to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, aimed at modernising areas around upcoming high-speed rail stations, the Indian Express reported.
The initiative will guide development around the Surat station and its neighbouring zones, creating a model for future growth.
Under the plan, over 3 lakh square metres of land have been earmarked for road construction to ensure smooth transport connectivity. Five town planning (TP) schemes are being prepared to support residential, commercial, and economic zones while strengthening multimodal infrastructure.
Together, they will cover seven villages in Surat district — Kosmada, Chhedcha, Antroli, Sabargam, Oviyan, Niyol, and Vankaneda.
The first approved scheme, TP Scheme No. 61 (Kosmada–Chhedcha–Oviyan), spans about 164 hectares and includes 135 final plots.
It was cleared by the state government as a draft scheme under the Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act, 1976.
The town planning exercise aims to integrate infrastructure with housing and commercial growth, ensuring that new roads, utilities, and public spaces align with the demands of the bullet train corridor.
K D Patel, Senior Town Planner in the state’s Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, noted that this was the first instance of a town planning scheme of this magnitude being cleared in such a brief period.
This effort comes a century after India’s first town planning scheme was introduced in Ahmedabad in 1925.
The new Surat plan marks a milestone in Gujarat’s urban strategy, positioning the city as a key hub in the country’s high-speed rail network and a model for future transit-oriented development.
