The Great Games Gambit: Inside Ahmedabad’s mega plan to host 2030 CWG and 2036 Olympics

India is gearing up to host Commonwealth Games in 2030 and is aiming to host the Olympics in 2036, says PM Ahmedabad’s appetite for bold bets can be measured in acres. At a recent planning summit, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) senior vice-president Ajay Patel offered a striking comparison. “Paris has used 400 acres for its 2024 games. Ahmedabad has already acquired 1,000 acres.”Officially, the city is gearing up for the 2030 Commonwealth Games (CWG), the event’s centenary and India’s first since Delhi 2010. But almost every big decision made today is shaped by a bigger ambition: positioning Ahmedabad as the host city for the 2036 Olympics. “CWG 2030 is a dress rehearsal for the 2036 Summer Olympics,” Patel said. While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expected to take the final call to host in 2036 around 2029, Gujarat has already started building as if the Olympics are around the corner.A drive through Motera reflects the extent of this ambition. Construction cranes, excavators and scaffolding dominate the skyline as roads, sports grounds, transport systems and hotels take shape for the event, which is still four years away.The master planAt the heart of the transformation is the Rs 5,050 crore Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave (SVPSE), spread around the Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest cricket venue in the world with a capacity of 1.32 lakh. The stadium is all set to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the CWG. The enclave will include a 12,000-seat aquatic center, an 18,000-seat tennis center and indoor arenas for basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, skateboarding, artistic swimming and sport climbing. To clear the way for the project, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) changed land plans across Sabarmati and Koteshwar, freeing up nearly 14.5 million square meters.Unlike several past multi-sport events where venues struggled to find purpose after the Games, Gujarat says legacy planning was built into the project from the outset. “We are adopting an asset utilization model rather than the traditional return on investment approach to rehabilitation,” Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, who led Ahmedabad’s CWG bid, told TOI. “The CWG infrastructure is a long-term investment in transforming Ahmedabad into an Olympic-ready global hub, not a sunk cost.” The venues will operate as a year-round Games Plaza, hosting sporting events, concerts and exhibitions, with operational break-even expected within five to seven years. A dedicated Infrastructure Legacy & Operations Trust (ILOT) is being created to manage the facilities at Motera and the Naranpura Sports Complex.The sports footprint goes far beyond Motero. About 11 km away, at Karai in Gandhinagar, a ground zero athletics stadium with a capacity of 50,000 people and a world-class shooting center are being built. The Rs 825 crore Naranpura Sports Complex is already operational with facilities for badminton, squash, table tennis and Olympic level swimming.Other sports complexes have been completed in Vastral while others are under construction in Gota, Ghuma, Naroda and Nikol. A total of 22 competitive seats in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar have been completed. Sanghavi set a firm deadline. “All the major infrastructure will be ready by the end of 2029 and there will be trial runs in early 2030. By the time the athletes and visitors arrive, Ahmedabad will be fully ready, with venues, transport and support systems running smoothly.”30 minute cityHowever, the transformation extends far beyond the stadiums. Ahmedabad’s vehicular population is growing at nearly nine percent annually, well above the national average. To avoid congestion during the Games, planners have adopted what officials describe as a “30-minute city” model. The goal is simple: every athlete, official and spectator should be able to travel between venues, hotels and training centers within 30 minutes.The existing 168 km Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), which carries more than 2.2 lakh passengers daily, will be integrated with the expanding metro network. The new north-south metro corridor and the parallel Neo Metro or light rail system are designed to carry around 70,000 passengers per hour in both directions.The Rs 472 crore integrated ticketing platform will enable commuters to use a single QR code on the Metro, BRTS and the planned fleet of 3,000 electric buses. The road network is also expanding. New arterials and north-south and east-west corridors are being developed, with more than 100 roads being widened. At the same time, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is preparing for a surge in traffic. The new integrated terminal is expected to double its annual capacity, while Dholera, Vadodara and Surat airports could help handle the overflow during the Olympics.Budgets and supportersFunding a project of this scale will require multiple funding sources. According to Gujarat’s Olympic bid estimates, the organizing committee’s budget could range from Rs 18,557 crore to Rs 41,031 crore, while capital expenditure on infrastructure is planned between Rs 16,060 crore and Rs 22,878 crore. The state plans to rely heavily on public-private partnerships, especially for the Olympic Village and the International Broadcast Center. It also proposes an “Adopt a Sport” program to encourage corporations to support athlete development and infrastructure through corporate social responsibility funding.Officials cite Gujarat’s own sports investment 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 over seven million participants annually.Village and free spaceAccommodation remains one of the biggest challenges. Located within 5 km of the Narendra Modi Stadium, the proposed Olympic Village will include 2,191 apartments capable of accommodating over 17,500 athletes. The apartments are intended for conversion into high-standard residential housing.The lack of hotels presents an even more difficult problem. Ahmedabad currently has just over 5,400 star-category rooms, with the long-term requirement for the Olympics estimated at nearly one lakh. The aim is to increase capacity to 40,000 rooms ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games through a new hotel policy offering capital subsidies. Land has already been earmarked for development, while neighboring cities like Vadodara and Mehsana are expected to absorb some of the additional demand.Green promisesThe transformation also entails an ambitious sustainability agenda. Ahmedabad has committed to powering the proposed Olympics entirely through renewable energy, supported by improved battery storage systems. Six million trees have already been planted against a target of 10 million, with each venue expected to recycle and reuse all waste water.(With inputs from Kapil Dave and Parag Dave)