Parliament Question: Transportation of Goods through Ports

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5661 ANSWERED ON 27.03.2026 TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS THROUGH PORTS 5661. SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE: Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: प(cid:517)न,पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी (a) whether the Government is taking steps to promote transportation of goods through ports and inland waterways in order to reduce logistics costs and improve efficiency in the country, if so, the details thereof, State-wise; (b) whether the Government has any proposal to strengthen port connectivity and logistics infrastructure for facilitating export of agricultural and industrial products; (c) if so, the details thereof and the projects that have been proposed/under implementation in Maharashtra particularly from the Marathwada region; and (d) the manner in which the said initiatives are expected to benefit farmers, industries and employment generation in the concerned regions? ANSWER MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL) (a) The Government has taken various measures such as the construction of new berths, terminals, parking plazas, mechanization/ modernization/ optimization of existing berths and terminals, expansion of hinterland connectivity through rail and road, elimination of manual Forms, facilitation of Direct Port Delivery and Entry, installation of Container Scanners, e-delivery orders/ invoice/payments, RFID-based gate automation system, fairway development, jetties, multi-modal terminals, navigation improvements, policy incentives including a 35% subsidy for inland transport, extension of tonnage tax to inland vessels, creation of cargo hubs, operationalization of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes, etc. to reduce logistics costs and improve the efficiency of major ports and inland waterways. (b) to(d) Sagarmala programme of the Government of India has a dedicated pillar of port connectivity, which focuses on the last mile, and immediate hinterland connectivity of the portsto minimize overall logistics costs. Further, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has prepared a ComprehensivePort Connectivity Plan (CPCP) in 2022 by reviewing connectivity of the operational ports and identified the ports, which needed improvement of road and/ or rail connectivity with nearby economic hubs. A total of 157 road connectivity projects and 124 rail connectivity projects have been identified for implementation to provide last mile port connectivity including in the state of Maharashtra where 2 rail and 8 road port connectivity projects have been completed and 32 projects are under various stages of implementation and planning. The details of these connectivity projects are available at Annexure I. Improved road and rail connectivity between ports and their hinterland enable farmers to access larger domestic and international markets, reduce transportation time and costs, and minimize post-harvest losses, thereby enhancing their incomes. Industries benefit from efficient movement of raw materials and finished goods, leading to lower logistics costs, improved competitiveness, and increased investment opportunities. Additionally, these projects generate direct employment during construction and indirect employment through growth in logistics, warehousing, and allied sectors, contributing to overall regional economic development and livelihood enhancement.ANNEXURE I Port Connectivity projects under Sagarmala Programme for state of Maharashtra Sl. Project Name of Project Port Status No. Category Rail connectivity for the 1 Rail JNPT Completed BMCTPL–PSA fourth terminal Development of DFC-compliant 2 Common Rail Yard (Parts I & II), Rail JNPT Completed including ROB modification 6 laning of Pune-Satara section 3 Road JNPT Completed of NH 4 JNPT - 6 to 8 laning of NH-4B- 4 Road JNPT Completed SH-54 and Amra Marg 5 Flyover at JNPT Y Junction Road JNPT Completed Upgrading SH 92- 96- 97 from 6 NH17 to North and South banks Road Dighi Completed of Dighi Port Construction of flyover near North 7 Gate Complex on container road Road JNPT Completed in JN Ports ONGC Bridge Extension work 8 Road JNPT Completed inside JNPT holding yard Evacuation road for Container 9 Terminal -330m extension to Road JNPT Completed DPW terminal at JNPT Construction of approach road to 10 Kharwadeshwari Jetty in District Road Palghar Completed Palghar, Maharashtra 3rd line rail connectivty from Under 11 Rail JNPT Jasai to JNPT Implementation Vadhavan port rail connectivity to Under 12 trunk line between Vangaon and Rail Vadhavan Implementation Dahanu Station. 2 to 4 laning of Panvel to Indapur Under 13 Road JNPT section of NH 17 - Phase 3 Implementation Construction of approach road to Under 14 Road Karanja Ro-RO jetty at Karanja Implementation Madkhol-Sankeshwar Under 15 Road Redi ImplementationConstruction of approach road to Under 16 Road Virar Narangi Jetty Implementation Dedicated goods line between 17 Wadala and Kurla for freight Rail Mumbai Under Planning movement from MbPT Railway line from Uran 18 commercial loading terminal to Rail Karanja Under Planning port (Karanja Terminal Logistics) Rail connectivity from Redi Port 19 to Sawantwadi Road Station of Rail Redi Under Planning Konkan Railway Rail connectivity from Ratnagiri to 20 Rail Jaigad - Angre Under Planning Jaigad (Angre Port) Rail connectivity from 21 Rail Jaigad - JSW Under Planning Vaibhavwadi to Kolhapur Rail connectivity from Dighi port 22 Rail Dighi Under Planning (Agardanda) to Roha Rail connectivity from JSW 23 Dolvi/Pen station to JSW Rail Dharamtar Under Planning Dharamtar Port Rail connectivity from Indo 24 Rail Revdanda Under Planning Energy (Sanegaon) to Roha Rail Connectivity from Bharat 25 Rail Dharamtar Under Planning Freight (Dharamtar) to Apta 108 KM, 6 Lane Road, 26 Connecting Port to Pune from Road Rajpuri/Dighi Under Planning Indapur 12 Kms 4 Lane Road Connecting 27 Road Rajpuri/Dighi Under Planning Both Ports to Pune 20 kms 4 Lane road from DIGHI 28 Road Rajpuri/Dighi Under Planning to Agardanda Terminal Access 3 Grade Separators at Kolad, 29 Road Rajpuri/Dighi Under Planning Indapore&Mangaon 4 Lane (Bitumen Road), 30 Connecting Roha to Both Road Rajpuri/Dighi Under Planning Terminals Bridge over creek near Waral, 31 Connecting Both Terminal Road Rajpuri/Dighi Under Planning Access Road Connectivity of Vadhavan to NH 8 32 through Tarapur-Boisar or Road Vadhavan Under Planning Chinchani-Vangaon or DahanuLinking of NH-4 and NH-8 by- 33 Road JNPT Under Planning passing Mumbra New alignment proposed - 12 34 kms. Karanja Ro-Ro jetty to JNPT Road Karanja Under Planning road (SH-348) Separate alignment is proposed 35 for connectivity road from Road Mandwa Under Planning Mandwa to Alibaug Strengthening and expansion of Dharamtar 36 Road Under Planning Dharamtar Port to Wadkhal (Alibag) Upgradation of existing road connectivity's (NH548A 37 &NH753F) from 2 lane to 6 lane Road Rajpuri/Dighi Under Planning till NH66 to both sides (Agardanda side &Dighi side) Upgradation of road from Korlai 38 Road Korlai Under Planning to Kolad and Korlai to Vadkal Upgradation of two lane to four 39 Road Vijaydurg Under Planning lane- 54 kmsVijaydurga to Talere Upgradation Sanegaon to Wakan Revdanda - 40 Road Under Planning and Sanegaon to Kolad Sanegaon Upgradation/ expansion of 25 41 kms. SH-123 from Redi Port to Road Redi Under Planning Satara to 4 lane road Upgradation/ expansion of 42 42 kms. SH-164 from Jaigad to Road Jaigad Under Planning Nivali to 4 lane road *****