Gandhinagar: With the number of families living in GIFT City steadily rising, plans are underway to set up a new world-class international school to strengthen social infrastructure in India’s first operational smart city. Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Company Limited (GIFTCL) has invited bids for developing the school on Building Footprint 40-C in the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA), aiming to support the growing residential community in the financial hub.

GIFT City has been evolving beyond a business district into a developing residential township and now houses more than 1,100 licensed entities and several global companies such as Google, IBM and Accenture. With more professionals and expatriates moving to the city along with their families, the demand for high-quality school education has increased significantly.

At present, the city has only one ICSE-affiliated school that has been operating since 2015. As per the tender documents, the rapid growth in residential projects and the increasing number of international professionals have created an urgent need for an institution offering a global curriculum aligned with the city’s international profile.

Global curriculum, large campus planned

The proposed school will offer education under internationally recognised boards such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) or Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) to ensure students receive globally competitive learning opportunities.

According to the project details, the campus will have a minimum built-up area of about 3.23 lakh square feet, along with an adjoining playground measuring around 4,046 square metres for sports and other activities. The facility will also include dedicated pick-up and drop-off zones for students and basement parking for parents and visitors.

In a move expected to benefit the local workforce, priority in admissions will be given to children of employees working in GIFT City, helping resident families access schooling within the township.

Green and smart infrastructure norms

The developer will be required to follow strict environmental and safety guidelines in line with GIFT City’s status as a platinum-rated green city. The school will be integrated with the city’s smart infrastructure systems, including the automated waste collection network and other urban services.

Officials said the project is expected to be completed within three years from the date of allotment, after which the new school will help bridge a key gap in the city’s social infrastructure.

The upcoming institution is seen as an important step in making GIFT City not only a global financial hub but also a livable urban community for the families of professionals working there. DeshGujarat