The upcoming Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra’s Palghar district is set to be a game-changer in India’s maritime infrastructure, with plans indicating it will be three times larger than the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) at Nhava Sheva—currently India’s largest container-handling port.
Located approximately 140 km from Mumbai, near the Maharashtra-Gujarat border, the greenfield, all-weather port will be developed at Rs 76,220 crore. The project will be executed by Vadhavan Port Project Ltd (VPPL), a special purpose vehicle jointly promoted by JNPA (74%) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (26%). It will be developed through a public-private partnership (PPP) model, featuring nine container terminals, four multipurpose berths, liquid cargo and Ro-Ro berths, as well as a dedicated Coast Guard berth.
To support this mega port, the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) has initiated a pre-feasibility study for a greenfield airport in the Vadhavan area. The region will also benefit from enhanced road and rail connectivity, including links to the national highway network and the upcoming Dedicated Freight Corridor.
Speaking at a training session for IFS officers at Sahyadri Guest House, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis emphasized the transformative potential of Vadhavan Port, projecting it to be among the world’s top 10 ports and a catalyst for making Mumbai a USD 1.5 trillion economy over the next two decades.
Fadnavis also highlighted the state’s ambitious infrastructure plans for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including the Coastal Road, Atal Setu, and the upcoming Third Mumbai. He further announced the development of Edu City (200 acres), Innovation City (300 acres), and Knowledge City (1,000 acres), aimed at positioning Mumbai as a global leader in education and technology over the next five years.
Source: Deccan Herald
