Rs 4,500 Crore Six-Lane Access Controlled Greenfield Highway Connecting Jawaharlal Nehru Port To Chowk In Maharashtra Gets Union Cabinet Nod

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a six-lane, access-controlled Greenfield National Highway from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk in Maharashtra.

The project, spanning 29.219 km, will be developed under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model with a total capital investment of Rs 4,500.62 crore, according to a government statement.

The initiative aligns with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, which emphasises integrated infrastructure development.

Given the rising container traffic at JNPA and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, authorities identified the need for augmenting National highway connectivity in the region.

At present, vehicles take 2-3 hours to travel from JNPA Port to the Golden Quadrilateral section of NH-48 and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway due to severe congestion in urban areas such as Palaspe Phata, D-Point, Kalamboli Junction, and Panvel, where traffic volume reaches approximately 1.8 lakh Passenger Car Units (PCU) per day.

The demand for seamless connectivity is expected to rise further once Navi Mumbai International Airport becomes operational this year.

The newly approved highway will connect NH-348 at JNPA Port (Pagote village) to NH-48 at Mumbai-Pune Highway, integrating key transport corridors, including the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Mumbai-Goa National Highway (NH-66).

Two tunnels through the Sahyadri hills will facilitate smoother movement of commercial vehicles, avoiding the steep ghat sections and ensuring high-speed transit for large container trucks.

The six-lane greenfield corridor is expected to significantly improve port connectivity, enhance freight movement safety and efficiency.

The project will open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in developing regions in and around Mumbai and Pune, according to the government statement.

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