Maharashtra: Centre approves Rs 4,500 crore 6-lane highway project connecting JNPT to Chowk

New Delhi, DHNS: The Centre on Wednesday (March 19) approved the construction of a 6-lane access-controlled greenfield high-speed National Highway to connect JNPA ( Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority) Port (Pagote) with Chowk (29.219 km) in Maharashtra at an investment of Rs 4,500 crore.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of 6-lane access controlled Greenfield High-Speed National Highway starting from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk (29.219 km) in Maharashtra," Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told media persons here.

The project will be developed on build, operate and transfer (BOT) mode. Currently, it takes 2-3 hours for vehicles to move from JNPA Port to the arterial Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) section of NH-48 and Mumbai–Pune Expressway due to heavy congestion in urban areas like Palaspe Phata, D-Point, Kalamboli junction, and Panvel.

The project alignment starts at JNPA port (NH 348) (Pagote village) and ends at Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH-48) while also linking Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Mumbai-Goa National Highway (NH-66).

After the operationalisation of Navi Mumbai Airport in 2025, the need for direct connectivity is expected to increase further.

"With the increasing container volume at JNPA port and the development of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, a need was identified for augmenting National highway connectivity in the region," the statement said.

The new 6-lane green field project corridor will lead to better port connectivity helping in safe and efficient freight movement. The project will open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in developing regions in and around Mumbai and Pune.

Urea plant in Assam:

The Cabinet also approved the setting up of a urea plant in Assam with an estimated cost of Rs 10,601.4 crore as part of its effort to reduce the import of this key crop nutrient and make India self-sufficient.

The new brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex having 12.7 lakh tonne annual capacity of urea production within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Ltd (BVFCL), Namrup Assam planned.

The plant will be established with an estimated total project cost of Rs 10,601.40 crore with a debt-equity ratio of 70:30 through a Joint Venture (JV). The tentative overall time scheduled for the commissioning of the Namrup-IV Project is 48 months, an official statement said.