Published by Mohali Aerotropolis Editorial · Updated July 2026
Mohali Aerotropolis is an expansive 5,500-acre master-planned township being developed by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) adjacent to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport (IATA: IXC), SAS Nagar, Punjab. Situated on both sides of the Banur-Zirakpur Road and close to Aerocity and IT City, it is the seventh independent township by GMADA and the first airport-centric development in Punjab. The project is divided into nine pockets (A through I), with Pockets A, B, C, and D currently active and tradeable via the LOI (Letter of Intent) system. Designed as a self-sustaining urban complex, it integrates residential, commercial, and institutional zones around the airport as its economic engine, placing Mohali among a select group of greenfield aerotropolis developments globally.
5,500Acres total
9Pockets (A–I)
15,000+Planned plots
~3 kmFrom airport
What is Mohali Aerotropolis?
Mohali Aerotropolis is a 5,500-acre master-planned township being developed by GMADA (Greater Mohali Area Development Authority) adjacent to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh. It is one of the largest planned townships in Punjab and the first airport-centric development in the state.
The project is designed on the aerotropolis concept — a city built around an airport, where land use is organised around aviation-related commerce, logistics, residential, and institutional uses. The airport serves as the economic engine of the entire township.
The Aerotropolis Concept
The term aerotropolis was defined by Dr. John D. Kasarda, the urban planning academic who originated the model. An aerotropolis is a metropolitan form built around a major airport. It has a commercial core close to the terminals, known as the airport city, plus outlying corridors and clusters of aviation-linked business, logistics, institutional, and residential development radiating outward, in some cases up to 30 km from the runway.
The organising principle is connectivity rather than distance. In Kasarda's framing, the cost that matters most is the time and cost of reaching suppliers, customers, and markets, locally and globally. He describes the shift as airports building cities rather than cities building airports. Where aviation links are strong, the surrounding region tends to attract time-sensitive industry, professional services, and the skilled workforce that follows them.
Recognised planning principles of the model that are visible in GMADA's approach include clustered rather than ribbon development along airport corridors, dedicated airport expressway and rail links, separation of goods-handling activity from residential zones, and a coordinated public, private, and institutional vision rather than ad hoc growth.
How Mohali Aerotropolis applies the model
GMADA's township sits roughly 3 km from Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport (IXC) and is planned as an airport-centric development, with the airport functioning as the economic engine for the pockets and the wider Tricity corridor. This places Mohali among a small set of greenfield airport townships in India applying the aerotropolis framework, alongside far larger international examples such as the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone in China and South Korea's Incheon Aerotropolis.
Concept source: The aerotropolis model was developed by Dr. John D. Kasarda. For the academic framework, see the Aerotropolis overview and John D. Kasarda. Mohali Aerotropolis is a GMADA project and is not affiliated with Dr. Kasarda or Aerotropolis Business Concepts.
Key fact: Unlike most real estate projects, Aerotropolis plots are not sold directly — they are allotted through a government scheme. Investors buy and sell LOI (Letter of Intent) documents in the secondary market. An LOI is a GMADA document confirming your plot allotment. Registry and possession happen later after infrastructure development.
Aerotropolis — Satellite Overview · Near Chandigarh Airport
Location
The Aerotropolis is located in SAS Nagar (Mohali) district, Punjab, adjacent to:
Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport (Chandigarh) — ~3 km
Chandigarh city centre — ~18 km
Mohali city centre — ~8 km
NH-7 (Chandigarh–Ludhiana highway) — accessible via airport road
The 9 Pockets — Status & Overview
Pocket
Area (acres)
Residential plots
Commercial plots
Status
Current LOI rate
A
57.98
3,388
1,469
Active — LOI issued
₹50,000–54,000/sqyd
B
206.30
1,306
436
Active — LOI issued
₹40,000–43,000/sqyd
C
242.53
1,194
555
Active — LOI issued
₹38,000–41,000/sqyd
D
493.80
2,753
1,163
Active — LOI issued
₹37,000–40,000/sqyd
E
TBD
TBD
TBD
Land acquisition in progress
Not yet issued
F–I
TBD
TBD
TBD
Future phases
Not yet issued
Understanding the LOI System
The LOI (Letter of Intent) is the primary instrument of investment in Aerotropolis. Here is how it works:
Allotment: GMADA allots plots via draw/scheme. Original allottees receive an LOI.
Trading: LOIs are freely tradeable in the secondary market. Buyers pay a transfer fee to GMADA.
Registry: Full registry (sale deed) happens after GMADA completes infrastructure and issues possession letter.
25% Built requirement: Before getting Occupation Certificate (OC), plot owner must construct at least 25% of total permissible FAR.
Transaction cost: Buying a secondary LOI costs approximately 8–9% in transaction charges — stamp duty 6–7% + registration 1% + GMADA transfer fee ₹10,000–15,000.
Infrastructure Progress (as of July 2026)
Grid roads in Pockets B, C, D: ~40% complete. Contract awarded to M/s SBEIPL-HRG JV (₹195 crore)
Environmental clearance: Granted by SEIAA Punjab for Phase 1
EOI for township construction: Issued by GMADA
Pocket A roads: On hold pending court resolution (927 acres in dispute)
Pockets E–I: Acquisition notifications issued for 3,553 acres across 8 villages
Investment Case
Aerotropolis LOIs have appreciated approximately 20% year-on-year over the last three years. Key drivers:
Shaheed Bhagat Singh Airport reaching record 2.8 million passengers in 2025-26
Direct international routes to Canada, UAE, and UK — driving NRI demand
Grid road construction progress — physical evidence of development
No comparable GMADA scheme near Chandigarh airport
NRI buyers from Punjab diaspora accounting for ~40% of enquiries
Risks
Pocket A dispute: 927 acres are subject to a court case. LOIs in disputed area cannot be registered until resolved.
Long horizon: Possession expected 2027–28 for Phase 1. Purely a medium-term investment.
No rental income: Bare LOI generates no rental income — pure capital appreciation play.
Liquidity: Secondary market is active but not as liquid as stock markets. Selling may take weeks.
Developer — GMADA
GMADA (Greater Mohali Area Development Authority) is a statutory body of the Government of Punjab, established under the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995. It is responsible for planned development in the Greater Mohali region. Notable GMADA projects include Aerotropolis, Eco City 1 & 2, IT City, and New Chandigarh.
GMADA is a government body — making LOI investments safer than private developer projects. However, timelines are subject to government processes and court orders.
