Rajkot: Connectivity to the temple town of Dwarka, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites that attracts lakhs of devotees of Lord Krishna every year, is set to receive a major boost with authorities finalising land for a new airport. After years of deliberations and multiple failed attempts, the Devbhumi Dwarka district administration has earmarked around 300 hectares near Vasai village, about 12 km from Dwarka, for the project.

Officials said nearly 45% of this land—about 130 hectares—is already government-owned, while the rest belongs to private farmers and landholders. The collector’s office is preparing to initiate acquisition under the state’s policy framework, and a formal announcement is expected soon.

This is the third site identified for the project, with earlier ones rejected following negative feasibility reports by the civil aviation department. Given Dwarka’s location in a sensitive coastal border region with key defence installations, authorities are proceeding with extra caution. Once acquisition is complete, the land will be handed over to the state civil aviation department for development in coordination with the Centre, subject to the necessary regulatory clearances.

According to officials, the new airport will significantly reduce travel time for pilgrims and tourists, who currently rely on lengthy rail journeys—around eight hours from Ahmedabad and 17 hours from Mumbai. The facility is also expected to serve strategic needs of the Air Force during emergencies.

With tourist footfall already bolstered by the recently opened Sudarshan Setu bridge connecting Beyt Dwarka to the mainland, and the growing popularity of Shivrajpur’s Blue Flag-certified beach, the proposed airport is expected to further enhance connectivity. Attractions such as the Marine National Park and the coastal biodiversity hotspots of Devbhumi Dwarka and adjoining Jamnagar are also likely to gain.

Meanwhile, farmers from Vasai village have begun opposing the inclusion of their agricultural land for the project. At the same time, real estate activity in the area has started to pick up, with land prices anticipated to rise following news of the airport plan. DeshGujarat