GIFT City – the name itself gives an image of India’s emerging financial hub. Located in Gujarat, close to the state capital Gandhinagar and the well-known city – Ahmedabad, the place has been making headlines ever since it started taking shape as a major financial and business destination.
But this time, GIFT City is in the news for something beyond financial services and business activities.
The authorities are now looking to give the city a completely different identity. The idea is to develop GIFT City like other international cities, where people do not just come to work, manage businesses and carry out financial transactions but also have places to enjoy their lives.
Think of a city where you finish your office work and still have plenty of options to spend your evening. You can visit a luxury shopping mall, enjoy food at restaurants, watch a movie, play sports or spend time at entertainment zones. That is the kind of experience GIFT City is now looking to create.
Moving in this direction, projects worth approximately ₹1,500 crore are being planned to give GIFT City a major makeover. The development will cover around 7.5 lakh square feet and include luxury shopping spaces, food destinations, sports facilities, hotels and entertainment zones.
The broader idea is to move towards a Work-Live-Play model, where working, living and enjoying life are all part of the same city.
Taking inspiration from international destinations such as Dubai, Singapore and New York City the authorities want GIFT City to have a more active nightlife and entertainment environment.
This means the development will not be limited to office buildings and commercial spaces. Public plazas, walkways, event grounds, shopping destinations and entertainment facilities will also become part of the city.
The aim is to make GIFT City a place where people can spend their entire day, rather than simply travel there for work and leave once their office hours are over.
One of the developments already attracting attention is the entry of Bastian Hospitality, a company associated with Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.
The company has received the tender to develop and operate a food zone at GIFT City’s Central Park. The proposed food zone will cover approximately one lakh square feet, and Bastian Hospitality will pay around ₹35 lakh per month as rent.
The food destination will be part of the larger Central Park development, which is being planned as a space for food, entertainment and social activities.
Apart from Shilpa Shetty, several other prominent names from Bollywood and cricket, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, have also been mentioned as possible investors in GIFT City’s upcoming lifestyle and entertainment projects. However, their investments have not been confirmed.
The proposed transformation includes five major development components, with a destination mall taking the biggest share of the investment.
An estimated ₹1,000 crore is planned for the mall, which is expected to feature international brands, multiplex facilities, restaurants and other shopping and entertainment options.
The idea is to create a shopping destination where people can spend time with family and friends, rather than simply visit to purchase something.
Another major project is a multi-sports arena, with an estimated investment of ₹200 crore. It will offer facilities for pickleball, padel, football, box cricket and volleyball. A running track is also planned.
For people interested in golf and other recreational activities, a golf and entertainment centre is being planned with an estimated investment of ₹300 crore. It will include technology-based facilities, including a technology-enabled driving range.
Together, these projects are expected to give residents and visitors more reasons to spend time in GIFT City beyond their regular work schedules.
Central Park is another important part of the proposed makeover. Spread across approximately 21 acres, the park will be developed in two phases. The first phase will cover seven acres, while the remaining 14 acres will be developed in the second phase.
The park is expected to become a major destination for food and entertainment, with the one-lakh-square-foot Bastian-operated food zone forming an important part of the development.
Public plazas, walkways and event grounds will also be developed, giving people open spaces to walk around, meet friends and enjoy different activities.
A city looking to attract international visitors and businesses also needs good accommodation facilities. Keeping this in mind, the proposed development includes new five-star hotels and premium serviced apartments.
These facilities will cater to business travellers, visitors and people who may want to stay in GIFT City for longer periods.
With hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, sports facilities and entertainment spaces being planned together, the city is looking to create an environment where people have access to different lifestyle options within the same destination.
While developing restaurants, malls and entertainment zones is one part of the plan, creating a proper nightlife destination will require changes in existing regulations as well.
The government may need to consider changes to rules governing 24×7 nightclubs and the sale of alcohol.
These discussions are important because the proposed night economy is not just about keeping a few restaurants open late. It is about creating a complete nighttime environment where people can enjoy food, entertainment and social activities. However, the required regulatory changes are still a future consideration.
GIFT City’s proposed transformation reflects a larger change in how modern business cities are being planned.
Today, a city is not just about how many companies operate there, how much business it generates or how many financial transactions take place. The lifestyle it offers to people is also becoming an important part of its identity.
People want places where they can work, live, relax and enjoy their free time without having to travel long distances for every activity. That is the experience GIFT City is now trying to build.
With an investment plan of around ₹1,500 crore, the city is looking beyond its identity as India’s emerging financial hub. It wants to become a destination that combines business with luxury, entertainment, food, sports and nightlife.
Whether it eventually develops an experience comparable to Dubai or Singapore will depend on how these plans take shape, how easily people can access these facilities and whether the proposed nightlife regulations are put in place.
But one thing is clear: GIFT City is no longer looking at itself as just a place where people come to work. It wants to become a place where people can enjoy life after work as well.
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