As part of the vision to systematically modernise and plan the areas surrounding the upcoming bullet train stations, the first Town Planning Scheme in Gujarat with regard to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Project has been awarded to Surat.With the allocation of over 3 lakh square metres of land for construction of roads, a total of five town planning schemes will be developed in Surat as part of the project.Senior Town Planner of the State Government’s Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, K D Patel, said in a press release that the Town Planning (TP) Scheme number 61 (Kosmada–Chhedcha–Oviyan in Surat district) is not just a planning document for the fast-developing city, but a roadmap for inclusive and future-ready growth of the region. A total of five town planning schemes have been designed to cover and strengthen the foundation for the city’s economic zones, residential areas, and multimodal connectivity, he added.Scheme number 61 has been approved by the state government as a draft town planning scheme under the provisions of the Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act, 1976.Patel, who has been appointed as the Town Planning Officer to finalise the scheme within the prescribed time frame, said Gujarat is rapidly advancing in urbanisation.Patel pointed out that under the Town Planning Act of 1915, India’s first town planning scheme — TP scheme number 1 (Jamalpur), Ahmedabad — came into force on September 1, 1925. Precisely 100 years later, in September 2025, a preliminary stage decision has been declared for the TP Scheme number 61 in Surat, he said, adding that it was the first time that a TP scheme of such a scale has been awarded in such a short time.The TP scheme, covering approximately 164 hectares and comprising around 135 final plots, was awarded after conducting hearings on the applications, objections, and suggestions of landowners and stakeholders. All necessary legal procedures — including the preparation for the tentative reconstitution, consultation with the authority and the Chief Town Planner, before-award hearings, preparation of plot books, measurement sheets, and supporting documentation — were completed. “Remarkably, the entire process was accomplished within just eight months, making this a historic and rare achievement,” added Patel.To ensure smooth transport connectivity around the bullet train station area in Surat, a planned road network of over 300,000 square meters with varying widths has been designed. “This initiative reflects the philosophy that ‘today’s planning shapes tomorrow’s future’,” he added.“For cities like Surat, linked with the bullet train, TP schemes are not merely planning blueprints but dynamic documents of development, envisioning improved infrastructure, housing, and an enriched quality of life for citizens. With the integrated efforts of the Central and State governments and strong direction of the Urban Development Department, Surat is poised to emerge as a modern model in India’s urban development landscape,” said Patel.Story continues below this adThe five TP schemes will cover seven villages of Surat district — Kosmada, Chhedcha, Antroli, Sabargam, Oviyan, Niyol, and Vankaneda.The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project will have 12 stations, including eight in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra.