JNPA-Chowk Greenfield Highway: India's Multimodal Connectivity
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JNPA-Chowk Greenfield Highway: India's Multimodal Connectivity - India’s rapid industrialisation and economic expansion have made world-class infrastructure essential, especially in logistics and transportation. Recognising this, the Modi government has placed expressway development and port connectivity at the heart of its growth agenda through the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. This visionary initiative is transforming India’s freight movement, making it faster, more efficient, and future-ready.
A key milestone in this effort is the Six-lane access-controlled Greenfield Highway linking JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk. Spanning 29 km, this state-of-the-art corridor is being developed under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model at an estimated cost of ₹4,500.62 crore. Designed to streamline logistics and boost economic productivity, the highway will strengthen India’s supply chains, improve port connectivity, and reduce transit times, cementing the nation's position as a global trade hub.
This article aims to analyse the strategic, economic, and environmental implications of this highway, assessing its role in enhancing India’s freight efficiency and economic growth.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is India’s largest container port, handling approximately 55% of the country’s container traffic. With the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (scheduled to open in 2025) and growing industrial activities, there is an increasing demand for improved freight connectivity.
Currently, cargo movement from JNPA to the arterial Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) section of NH-48 and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway takes 2-3 hours due to severe congestion at critical junctions such as Palaspe Phata, D-Point, Kalamboli, and Panvel, which handle around 1.8 lakh Passenger Car Units (PCU) daily. The projected rise in freight movement will exacerbate this congestion, necessitating a high-speed, access-controlled alternative.
According to the Vestian report, Mumbai recorded the highest absorption of 18.6 million sq ft in 2024, growing by 82% from the previous year, while Pune saw the highest increase among the top seven cities at 85%. This highlights the need to strengthen the logistics sector at both the state and national levels.
Accordingly, the project – 6-lane access-controlled Greenfield Highway from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk - is designed to address these connectivity requirements and improve the logistic efficiency of connecting JNPA Port and Navi Mumbai International Airport. The initiative aligns with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, which emphasises integrated infrastructure development. This will create new opportunities for growth, development, and prosperity in the developing regions around Mumbai and Pune, both key economic hubs.
Features & Specifications
This highlights that the highway will allow the uninterrupted movement of large container trucks and avoid the congested Ghat section, thereby improving speed and logistics efficiency.
The JNPA-Chowk Greenfield Highway represents a strategic milestone in India's logistics and transportation network. This project aligns with the government’s vision of enhanced multimodal connectivity by ensuring efficient freight movement, reducing costs, and boosting industrial growth. The successful execution of this highway will serve as a model for future port-highway connectivity projects, ensuring sustainable and long-term economic growth.
A key milestone in this effort is the Six-lane access-controlled Greenfield Highway linking JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk. Spanning 29 km, this state-of-the-art corridor is being developed under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model at an estimated cost of ₹4,500.62 crore. Designed to streamline logistics and boost economic productivity, the highway will strengthen India’s supply chains, improve port connectivity, and reduce transit times, cementing the nation's position as a global trade hub.
This article aims to analyse the strategic, economic, and environmental implications of this highway, assessing its role in enhancing India’s freight efficiency and economic growth.
The Need for a 6-lane Greenfield Highway
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is India’s largest container port, handling approximately 55% of the country’s container traffic. With the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (scheduled to open in 2025) and growing industrial activities, there is an increasing demand for improved freight connectivity.
Currently, cargo movement from JNPA to the arterial Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) section of NH-48 and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway takes 2-3 hours due to severe congestion at critical junctions such as Palaspe Phata, D-Point, Kalamboli, and Panvel, which handle around 1.8 lakh Passenger Car Units (PCU) daily. The projected rise in freight movement will exacerbate this congestion, necessitating a high-speed, access-controlled alternative.
According to the Vestian report, Mumbai recorded the highest absorption of 18.6 million sq ft in 2024, growing by 82% from the previous year, while Pune saw the highest increase among the top seven cities at 85%. This highlights the need to strengthen the logistics sector at both the state and national levels.
Accordingly, the project – 6-lane access-controlled Greenfield Highway from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk - is designed to address these connectivity requirements and improve the logistic efficiency of connecting JNPA Port and Navi Mumbai International Airport. The initiative aligns with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, which emphasises integrated infrastructure development. This will create new opportunities for growth, development, and prosperity in the developing regions around Mumbai and Pune, both key economic hubs.
Features & Specifications
Features
Specifications
Total Length
29.219 km
Where
From Pagote near JNPT and MTHL landing point to Chowking village on Old Mumbai-Pune Highway
Lanes
6 (access-controlled)
Mode of Construction
Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOD) mode
Plan
The project includes six major and five minor bridges, four elevated stretches and two tunnels (One tunnel is 1.9 km and the second tunnel is 1.57 km)
Connectivity
Navi Mumbai International Airport, JNPT Port, NH-348A, NH-348, Mumbai Pune Expressway, Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, NH-48 (part of GQ) connecting Mumbai with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, NH-66 connecting Panvel-Goa-Kanyakumari, Mumbai Vadodara Expressway, Atal Setu, Proposed Multimodal Corridor
Deadline
30 Months
| Features | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Total Length | 29.219 km |
| Where | From Pagote near JNPT and MTHL landing point to Chowking village on Old Mumbai-Pune Highway |
| Lanes | 6 (access-controlled) |
| Mode of Construction | Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOD) mode |
| Plan | The project includes six major and five minor bridges, four elevated stretches and two tunnels (One tunnel is 1.9 km and the second tunnel is 1.57 km) |
| Connectivity | Navi Mumbai International Airport, JNPT Port, NH-348A, NH-348, Mumbai Pune Expressway, Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, NH-48 (part of GQ) connecting Mumbai with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, NH-66 connecting Panvel-Goa-Kanyakumari, Mumbai Vadodara Expressway, Atal Setu, Proposed Multimodal Corridor |
| Deadline | 30 Months |
This highlights that the highway will allow the uninterrupted movement of large container trucks and avoid the congested Ghat section, thereby improving speed and logistics efficiency.
Benefits of the 6-lane greenfield highway
- Travel time reduction from 2-3 hours to just 30-40 minutes enhances freight efficiency.
- Lower congestion leads to reduced fuel consumption and lower CO₂ emissions, making transportation more sustainable.
- Decrease in logistics cost per ton-km, improving export competitiveness and reducing overall trade costs.
- The highway will boost trade growth with faster access to JNPA, Navi Mumbai Airport, and key industrial hubs in Maharashtra.
- It will also help in employment generation
- Strengthens Maharashtra’s export and import capacity through improved connectivity.
- Supports EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) and MSME industries in the Mumbai and Pune regions, fostering economic growth.
- This will overall enhance the regional and national economy.
The JNPA-Chowk Greenfield Highway represents a strategic milestone in India's logistics and transportation network. This project aligns with the government’s vision of enhanced multimodal connectivity by ensuring efficient freight movement, reducing costs, and boosting industrial growth. The successful execution of this highway will serve as a model for future port-highway connectivity projects, ensuring sustainable and long-term economic growth.
