Gujarat Tourism projects languish in bureaucratic limbo

Gandhinagar, Gujarat —In a major blow to Gujarat’s tourism ambitions, several high-profile projects announced by the tourism department remain nothing more than paper promises. Despite grand declarations at platforms like Vibrant Gujarat and the Incredible India Summit, not a single major initiative has taken off on the ground — raising serious concerns about governance, accountability, and planning.

One of the most ambitious yet unrealised ventures is the Dubai-style Global Village near Adalaj, Gandhinagar. The ₹200-crore plan was to celebrate global cultures through art and dance — but no land has been acquired, and the proposal hasn’t moved an inch.

Another non-starter is the much-publicized London Eye-style giant wheel on the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, which has drawn repeated comparisons to international landmarks. But the project remains buried in bureaucratic silence.

“It’s disheartening to see that Gujarat’s tourism dreams are being sold to the public with zero follow-through,” said a tourism industry expert, requesting anonymity. “These projects are being used for political mileage, but no concrete action is taken.”

In Dharoi, plans for a multimedia amphitheatre, cafeteria, bhajan hall, library, and resting zones were announced across 640 acres. Yet, not a brick has been laid.

Similarly, cruise services promised for Dwarka, Porbandar, Diu, and Somnath remain absent — despite MoUs signed during Vibrant Gujarat summits. In Somnath, even the proposed aquarium inspired by Science City has seen no development.

A mirror glass building at the Statue of Unity and a ₹1,200 crore Buddhist archaeological development project at Devni Mori, both publicised with much fanfare, remain in cold storage.

Critics say these delays expose the widening gap between Gujarat’s tourism narrative and on-ground execution.

“Paper announcements don’t bring tourists. Execution does,” said a local travel operator in Dwarka. “We’ve seen too many promises and too few results.”