Dholera news update: Global chipmakers plan exclusive housing townships for expats as part of the Tata fab project, strengthening the master plan for Dholera
Dholera, Gujarat: In a significant development for India’s semiconductor ambitions, Japanese and Taiwanese electronics giants are planning country-specific housing corridors in Dholera to accommodate expat employees working on the Tata Group’s upcoming chip fabrication unit.
According to a senior Gujarat government official, Tokyo Electron Ltd (TEL) from Japan and Taiwan’s PSMC are considering private housing facilities for their workforce. “We see interest from Japanese and Taiwanese companies to set up housing corridors for their employees in Dholera. This will mainly serve Taiwanese employees from PSMC and their suppliers, as well as a consortium of Japanese companies involved in the Tata fab,” the official said.
Under the master plan for Dholera, land has already been earmarked for housing and recreational facilities aimed at expat employees. These private townships are expected to complement housing initiatives by the Tata Group and the government’s Global Tent City program.
TEL Executive Vice President Takeshi Okubo highlighted the importance of localized housing for expats, stating, “We are exploring how we can make this happen for the benefit of our employees. This is something new for us, but Dholera is unique. Unlike South Korea, Taiwan, or Singapore, Dholera is just starting its journey in semiconductor manufacturing.”
The dedicated housing corridors are also expected to help expats adapt to the predominantly vegetarian cuisine of Gujarat. Situated about 100 km from Ahmedabad and 600 km from Mumbai, Dholera’s connectivity is set to improve further with the upcoming Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, which Okubo believes will attract global talent.
American engineering services provider Jacobs Solutions is also exploring similar housing solutions to support its workforce. Koti Vadlamudi, Executive Vice President at Jacobs, remarked, “With semiconductors in India, it’s an early story, but there’s an opportunity to build workforce infrastructure in Dholera.”
Sinead Giblin, General Manager and Senior VP Asia, People and Places Solutions APACME at Jacobs, added, “We would look to collaborate with a partner who is already developing such facilities. It’s a bit challenging due to the location, but it’s an exciting opportunity.”
The move by Japanese and Taiwanese companies underscores the growing international interest in India’s Dholera fab project and the broader master plan for Dholera, aimed at transforming the region into a global semiconductor hub.
