The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will construct the Rs 2,881 crore road link to the planned Vadhvan port in Maharashtra on the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode which will be monetised later through the toll-operate and transfer (TOT) route when the traffic volumes build up after the port becomes operational.
This was decided at a December 9 meeting chaired by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways. The meeting agreed that the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Toll model “may not be feasible” for the 32 km long, 8-lane highway stretch from NH 48 and Delhi-Mumbai Expressway to the planned Vadhvan port as the traffic flow would be low in the initial stages, particularly when the highway will become operational before the new port starts operations. There will be no traffic till the first phase of the port starts operations in 2029-30.
The meeting was informed that the land acquisition for the road and rail links to Vadhvan port is expected to be completed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority by March 2025. NHAI was directed to ensure that the EPC contract for the highway project was awarded before March 2025. The work on the highway connectivity to Vadhvan port is expected to start in May 2025.
The project received a further impetus with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance retaining power in the recently concluded assembly polls in Maharashtra. Gadkari, according to the official, directed that the proposal for approval of the highway alignment and the Network Planning Group (NPG) should be submitted in a fortnight.
Besides, with the traffic on the road link solely dependent on the progress of the port work, it was decided to construct a 4-lane road initially which will be widened to 8-lanes after the first phase of the port starts operations, for optimum utilisation of resources.
During the meeting, Gadkari opined that the development of the port will happen at a rapid pace as it will be the largest deep-water port in the country. With the port traffic expected to rise manifold after 10-15 years of operations, road widening beyond 8-lanes may also be required.
Keeping this in view, it was suggested that the configuration of the tunnel to accommodate more lanes should be taken up right from the beginning itself, as the tunnel cannot be widened at a later stage.
Hence, it was decided that the configuration of the tunnel for the Vadhvan port link road will follow the method adopted for the Vadodara Mumbai Expressway project, which is being constructed as an 8-lane highway with provision for widening to 12 lanes, including a 4-km-long twin tunnel.
The 9 December meeting also decided to “prioritise” construction of the initial 20 km one-side road from the port end till the quarry site near the tunnel location to facilitate the civil works for the port, which is slated to start in 2025-26. The first phase of the port, including breakwater construction, is targeted for completion by 2029-30.
Gadkari also advised Chairman Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority to identify 150-200 acres of land along or near the road/rail link for setting up a multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) following a suggestion put forward by the Chief Executive Officer, National Highways Logistics Management Ltd. (NHLM), a unit of NHAI.
The Union Cabinet, while clearing the Rs 76,220 crore Vadhavan Port project on 19 June, delegated the power for deciding the mode of execution related to the road connectivity component of the project to the Minister of Road Transport and Highways.
The rail and road projects linking the Mumbai-Delhi Western railway line and NH 48, some 12 kms and 33 kms, respectively, from the port, will provide hinterland connectivity and reduce logistic costs.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways earlier declared the 32 km long highway stretch from NH 48 (Tawa Junction) to the planned Vadhavan Port as a national highway through a gazette notification on August 12.
The declaration of the road stretch to the port from NH 48 will help land acquisition for the road link under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Act. The cost of land acquisition, though, will be borne by Vadhavan Port Project Ltd (VPPL), the special purpose vehicle implementing the port project.
