Cabinet approves six-lane highway project connecting Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) at Rs. 4,500 crore (US$ 521.31 million)

The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of a six-lane access-controlled greenfield high-speed National Highway, connecting Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) Port (Pagote) to Chowk (29.219 kilometer) in Maharashtra at an investment of Rs. 4,500 crore (US$ 521.50 million). The project will be developed under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model, aiming to improve logistics efficiency and regional connectivity as part of the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan. This initiative is crucial due to rising container volumes at JNPA Port and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, which will further increase transport demand in the region. 

Currently, congestion in urban areas like Palaspe Phata, D-Point, Kalamboli Junction, and Panvel causes a two to three-hour delay for vehicles moving from JNPA Port to the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) section of NH-48 and Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The new highway will provide direct connectivity, improving freight movement and reducing travel time. The alignment starts at JNPA Port (NH-348) in Pagote village. It ends at the Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH-48), linking the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Mumbai-Goa National Highway (NH-66). Two tunnels through the Sahyadri range will enhance the movement of large container trucks. This infrastructure upgrade will boost economic activity and promote trade growth in the Mumbai-Pune corridor.  

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