NPG evaluates 4 infra projects to enhance logistic efficiency

The 101st meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) under the PM GatiShakti framework has elevated four infrastructure projects across the Ministries of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) and Railways (MoR).

These initiatives, spanning Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, will boost logistics efficiency, cut down travel times, and align with the ‘Whole of Government’ approach for integrated infrastructure development.

The primary focus of all four projects is to decongest freight corridors, enhance multimodal connectivity, and enable a swift modal shift of cargo from road to rail where capacity is constrained.

The NPG's approval covers two road projects aimed at strengthening western and central logistics. In Maharashtra, the rehabilitation and upgrading of NH-160A from Ghoti to Palghar (154.635 km) is set to create an alternate freight route.

This route will link the industrial powerhouses of Nashik and adjoining MIDC areas (Ambad and Satpur) directly to the western coastal ports, reducing reliance on congested urban routes.

The project is vital for efficient port access and strengthens intermodal connectivity by linking to railheads (Nashik, Palghar) and major highways (NH-60, NH-48, NH-848), ensuring crucial last-mile connectivity for freight.

Meanwhile, the development of the Ashapur to Rudhy (Betul – Khandwa) corridor in Madhya Pradesh, a roughly 300-kilometer project involving 2/4-lane expansion, will create an arterial route across Central and Western India. T

This upgrade will establish a shorter and alternate route between Nagpur and Vadodara, slashing travel time and costs for freight moving across MP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.

Furthermore, it unlocks access to key industrial and economic zones like district trade and industry centres and the NTPC Super Thermal Power Station, accelerating regional trade and industrial development.

In the railway sector, two proposals tackle severe congestion on Eastern freight lifelines. In Jharkhand, the proposed 3rd and 4th railway line between Gamharia and Chandil (56 km) addresses a crisis where the Kandra–Chandil section is operating at 130% line capacity utilisation, projected to hit 141%.

As a critical freight corridor for moving iron ore and raw materials from the Chakradharpur Division to steel plants at Burnpur and Durgapur, the capacity augmentation is non-negotiable for mineral logistics and supporting the industrial supply chain. The expansion will increase throughput capacity and enhance freight movement efficiency at the maximum permissible speed of 130 km/h.

Finally, the construction of a 4th railway line between Sainthia and Pakur (81.20 km) across West Bengal and Jharkhand is designated an ‘Energy Corridor.’ This expansion aims to reduce congestion and support power sector logistics.

The introduction of the 4th line is expected to facilitate a modal shift from road to rail, promising enhanced cost efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in freight movement. This will lead to improved train punctuality and higher average freight speeds, generating operational savings by minimizing the detention of goods trains.