After Vedanta semiconductor plant, Gujarat to get India's biggest mall in Ahmedabad. Here are the details

India's largest mall will be set up by the Lulu Group International in Ahmedabad, and the construction will begin in 2023. This seems to be another win for Gujarat, which recently won a deal to set up Vedanta's semiconductor plant in the state.

Lulu Group International's Rs 3,000 crore investment in the form of India's largest mall in Ahmedabad comes after an MoU was signed by Lulu Group and the government of Gujarat. The MoU was signed during the UAE road show that was held by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Dubai. During the meeting, Lulu Group presented its detailed project and investment plans for the state with the aim of making Ahmedabad one of the most prolific shopping destinations in India. 

Lulu Group International is a UAE-based retail conglomerate and has about 240 hypermarkets and shopping malls in 10 countries. In India, Lulu Group has five mega malls in Kerala, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. 

So, what will India's biggest shopping mall be like? India’s biggest shopping mall is expected to be set up in Ahmedabad with Lulu Hypermarket being the anchor store of the mall. The mall is expected to be built with an investment of Rs 3,000 crore and is set to be furnished with all modern facilities and attractions.

India's biggest shopping mall will feature:

• Over 300 national and international brands
• A 3000-people capacity food court with multi-cuisine restaurants
• 15-screen multiplex cinemas with Imax
• India’s biggest children's amusement centre
• And many other attractions.

Though the foundation stone to construct this mega shopping mall will be laid early next year, India's largest mall will create hype and is expected to bring in national and international tourists to Gujarat. Local entrepreneurs are also expected to be greatly supported along with increasing employment opportunities in Gujarat.

Gujarat's consistent winning streak: In September 2022, the state of Gujarat celebrated a massive 1.5 lakh crore deal when oil and gas company Vedanta decided to set up its semiconductor manufacturing plant in Gujarat. Though talks of setting up the factory were almost finalised with Maharashtra's Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Vedanta eventually decided to set a base in Gujarat.

This move led to a major political blame game and name-calling. Congress General Secretary Sawant said that the move was inconvenient and the move would harm the country. There were also a lot of fits thrown against the Eknath Shinde-led government for losing the Vedanta contract. As per Sawant, the shift was because of pressure from the central government even though Maharashtra would have been a better place for investment.