“The foundation stone will be laid by Anandiben Patel, Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat as earlier announced. We will be displaying three models of the proposed SDB at the time of ceremony”, said Dinesh Navadiya, President, Surat Diamond Association.
The proposed 100-acre project is expected to come up at an estimated investment of Rs 1.25 lakh crore. The bourse will see offices and trading zones. The construction requirement of the project is 1 crore 50 lakh sq. mtrs. The SDB has already been allotted land in the Surat Dream City project by the state government. However, the SDB is yet to decide on how much land they would require for the project. It would be finalised once the first round of applications for office space is completed. Also, the price for per sq. ft. office spaces would be decided after second stage of applications for the office space, parking space etc is completed. Tenders for the construction work will be issued soon. Around 12,000 diamond merchants have reportedly signed up for the project.
“The SDB will be run by a 31-member committee comprising leading diamond polishing and trading players. The company will be headed by Vallabhbhai Lakhani of Kiran Exports. Other leading diamantaires who are part of the committee include Govindbhai Dholakia from Shree Ramkrishna Exports, Laljibhai Patel of Dharmanandan Diamonds and Sevantibhai Shah of Venus Jewel,” said Mathurbhai Savani, Saurashtra Jaldhara Trust.
He further added, “We are aiming to make SDB a world-class facility. All kinds of infrastructure will be provided to the diamantaires. Around 10,000 offices will be there and the project will take three years to complete.”
The project is part of the 2,000-acre Surat Dream City, being set up on the lines of the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
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