Cabinet Approves ₹4,500-Crore Greenfield Highway to Boost JNPA Port Connectivity, Pg13

Project Approval & Cost

• Union Cabinet approved a ₹4,500 crore six-lane greenfield high-speed highway to connect Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) Port (Pagote) to Chowk (29.219 km), Maharashtra.
• The project follows the Build, Operate, Transfer (BOT) model.

Objective & Benefits

• Aims to enhance logistics efficiency by improving connectivity between JNPA Port & Navi Mumbai International Airport.
• Aligns with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan to integrate transport infrastructure.
• Addresses the increasing container traffic at JNPA and the upcoming airport in 2025.

Current Transport Challenges

• Existing routes (NH-48, Mumbai-Pune Expressway) face delays due to urban congestion in Palaspe Phata, D-Point, Kalamboli Junction, Panvel.
• Current travel time: 2-3 hours for vehicles between JNPA & arterial roads.

New Highway Features

• Starts at JNPA Port (NH-348, Pagote village) → ends at Mumbai-Pune NH-48.
• Links Mumbai-Pune Expressway & Mumbai-Goa NH-66.
• Two tunnels through the Sahyadri range to provide a shortcut in hilly terrain for large container trucks.

Mains Mock Question:

_"Discuss the significance of infrastructure projects like the Greenfield High-Speed Highway in improving trade logistics and regional connectivity. How do such projects align with India’s economic growth strategy?"_