December 31, 2021: As we gear up to usher in the New Year with hope and resilience, the final preparations for the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2022 (VGGS) at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport is in full swing. The summit, which is organized by the Government of Gujarat, will be conducted from 10 – 12 January 2022, and is slated to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One of the largest on-ground events to be held in the last two years, the event will be graced by eminent dignitaries from across the globe. A revamped Ahmedabad International Airport is ensuring to enable its guests with world-class facilities to ensure a pleasant experience. From installing sleeping pods for passengers with delayed or connecting flights, making arrangements for parking private chartered aircraft, establishing a dedicated prepaid and app-based taxi pick-up point for passenger convenience, and increasing as well as maintaining the movement of passengers, several other initiatives have been introduced for passengers, guests, and dignitaries to enable them to have a smooth experience. Keeping in mind the looming threat of a possible third wave of Covid-19 due to the rising cases of the Omicron (B.1.1.529), a dominant variant across many countries, the security and the safety precautions have also been tightened. Elaborate arrangements have been made at the SVPI airport, including more testing and resting facilities, larger waiting and seating areas, additional counters for registration and sampling as well increased strength of ground staff to efficiently manage crowd. As the guidelines issued by the government, passengers travelling to or transiting through India must submit on the Air Suvidha portal a self-declaration form with their travel details of the past 14 days, a copy of their passport, a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report (no older than 72 hours before their journey), and a declaration of authenticity of the test report. Passengers arriving from the ‘at-risk’ countries will be given separate and secured accommodations. The event, which will take place in Gandhinagar, will host well-known personalities, dignitaries, and VVIPs from several industries and the security has been tightened. Furthermore, digital walls have been installed to keep the guests well-informed about the itinerary of the upcoming events with all relevant details. With parking being one of the crucial aspects, spacious parking spots have been allocated along with restructuring the terminal approach road. Lastly, the aesthetics inside the SVPI Airport have also undergone a revamp. Colourful, vivacious Torans from the Kutch district, to painted wooden trunks, intricately carved panels along with eclectic art placements of various textiles, have been introduced that infuses the surroundings with the essence of Gujarat.
