Nirma Group Plans Five-Star Hotel Entry In Ahmedabad

07 Jan 2026 CW Team

Nirma Group is preparing to enter the hospitality sector as part of a broader diversification strategy, according to people familiar with the matter. The Ahmedabad-based conglomerate, with operations spanning detergents, chemicals, cement and healthcare, has applied for environmental clearance to develop a five-star hotel targeting the upper-upscale segment.

The group, which has an estimated turnover of around Rs 122.07 billion, is planning a 555-room hotel along the Sarkhej–Gandhinagar Highway, one of Ahmedabad’s fastest-growing commercial corridors. Sources said the proposed project is expected to cater to rising demand from corporate travellers and large-scale events.

Nirma Group has also initiated discussions with several global and domestic hotel operators, including Indian Hotels Company Ltd, Hyatt Hotels and Marriott International. However, people aware of the talks said that no operating agreement has been finalised so far.

The hotel is expected to become operational ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games, positioning it to benefit from increased demand for premium accommodation linked to international sporting events as well as sustained growth in business travel. An email sent to a Nirma Group official seeking comment did not elicit a response at the time of publication.

Commenting on the sector’s outlook, Nandivardhan Jain, founder and chief executive of hotel investment and branded residences advisory firm NOESIS, said demand conditions in India’s hospitality market have deepened significantly compared with previous years.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Second Mountain Tunnel Breakthrough in Palghar Advances High Speed Rail

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail (MAHSR) project reached a milestone with the breakthrough of a mountain tunnel in Palghar, Maharashtra. Mountain tunnel MT-six measures 454 metres long and 14.4 metres wide and will accommodate up and down tracks. The breakthrough follows MT-five near Saphale on second January 2026 and the MT-six excavation was completed from both ends using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The ministry reported that the tunnelling was completed within 12 months. The New Austrian Tunnelling Method is favoured for its flexibility in complex geology and irregular tunnel s..

Modi Government Pushes Atmanirbhar Container Drive With BCSL MoU

The Union Government advanced a plan to create an integrated, domestically anchored container ecosystem with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL). The MoU was signed by key agencies including the Shipping Corporation of India and Container Corporation of India alongside major port authorities and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in the presence of senior ministers. The initiative aligns with the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme announced in the Union Budget 2026–2..

Ministry Reports Gains In Mobility For Marginalised Communities

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing skill development, education and rehabilitation schemes to promote socio-economic mobility and sustainable livelihoods for marginalised and disadvantaged communities across the country. Programmes target Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Weaker Sections, De-notified Tribes and Safai Karamcharis through specialised implementing corporations and empanelled training institutes. Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana, or PM-DAKSH, provided skill training and placement support through the Nati..