Ahmedabad Gears Up for 2036 Olympics with ₹1,331 Crore Sports Infrastructure Push

The Navratri capital of India is poised to become the country's premier sports hub as it embarks on its journey from hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad towards its next bid for the 2036 Olympics.

Speaking on behalf of the deputy chief minister, Harsh Sanghavi, responsible for sports, youth, and cultural departments, the cabinet minister, Jitu Vaghani, announced that the Bhupendra Patel led government's vision is evolving Ahmedabad. As the next Olympic city with an impressive allocation of ₹1331 crores.

The centrepiece of this initiative shall be the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Enclave spread across 335 acres of area anchored around the prestigious Narendra Modi Stadium that got us our 2026 World Cup championship. The stellar facility shall house a 12000 spectator capacity aquatic centre along with an 18000 seat indoor centre, and a 24000 seat tennis court. Another major structure is the Olympic Village being constructed in Bhat across 135 acres with a massive capacity to accommodate 17500 athletes. Yet another significant project is the shooting range at Karai Neral, Gandhinagar, with an enormous 50,000 seating capacity.

Beyond elite arenas, grassroots-level penetration is also ensured with the allocation of ₹165 crore for five new sports facilities, with another ₹100 crore for Olympic-compliant sports facilities in Karai, along with a ₹90 crore hockey stadium. The state's sports prioritisation can be evidenced by the sharp rise in the Khel Mahakumbh participation from 16.5 lakh in 2010 to 72 lakh in 2026 by virtue of the growing sports culture of Gujarat.