The Chief Minister of Gujarat has approved the construction of skyscrapers with 70 or more floors.

Gujarat is one step closer to transforming the skylines of its five major cities with ‘iconic towers’ such as those seen in Dubai and Singapore. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani approved the final notification addressing the construction of buildings with 70 or more stories on May 25, paving the path for this move.

The approval was granted after taking into account the recommendations and objections to the initial notification, which included revisions to the Comprehensive General Development Control Regulations (CGDCR)-2017, allowing the construction of landmark buildings.

Buildings in the state cannot have more than 23 floors or be taller than 70 meters, according to current law. High-rise buildings taller than 100 meters would be permitted in Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, and Gandhinagar under the new policy.

On August 18, 2020, the chief minister declared that authorization will be granted to develop highrise buildings in cities here, similar to those that dot the skylines of Dubai and Singapore. The government also released a primary notification and solicited comments and recommendations on the matter.

“An iconic building is one that stands 100 meters or higher. With the final approval, these five cities would be able to construct major towers like Dubai’s Burj Khalifa,” stated Ashish Patel, President of CREDAI-Gujarat, the state chapter of the national body of real estate developers CREDAI.

After the notification is published in the official gazette, municipal corporations and urban development agencies in these five cities would be authorized to permit skyscrapers and tall constructions, according to a statement from the state government. “This approval will usher in a new age of high-rise constructions and skyscrapers in these cities,” the state administration noted.

“The move will assist Gujarat in developing a distinct identity. The real estate market is prepared to construct such high-rise structures. City developers are considering as many as ten such projects alongside the S G Highway,” said Ajay Patel, President of CREDAI Ahmedabad-GIHED, the city’s realtors’ body.

“This is a significant step forward in the state’s well-planned urban growth. Even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government’s continued efforts for urban development will bring positive and practical effects in the long run,” Taral Shah, a realtor, said.