The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has chosen Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) to construct India’s first multimodal logistics park (MMLP) in Chennai
According to a statement from the ministry, the initiative is a part of the “PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP),” which was introduced in October 2021 and aims to improve last-mile and multi-modal connectivity throughout the nation. 1,424 crore rupees is the project’s anticipated cost. 45 years make up the entire concession term. The SPV will build a new rail siding to the MMLP site that is approximately 10.5 km long and would cost Rs 217 crore. It will also give a four-lane NH connection for 5.4 km at an estimated cost of Rs 104 crore. The Ministry further stated that the three phases of the MMLP’s development are expected to cost the developer a total of Rs 783 crore. By 2025, phase-1 development should be complete, enabling commercial operations. A logistical hub for the southern region will be the MMLP in Chennai, which is conveniently situated 52 km from Chennai Port, 80 km from Ennore Port, and 87 km from Kattupalli Airport. In a 45-year timeframe, it is predicted to handle 7.17 million metric tonnes (MMT) of freight.
The project will link the Chennai airport with the ports of Chennai, Kamarajar, and Kattupalli
15 of the 35 MMLPs being developed by MoRTH are prioritized for release within the next three years. The project has been in the works for more than ten years, but it has not yet begun because of the private sector’s lackluster reaction to problems like connection. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the Chennai Port Trust, National Highways Logistics Management Limited, and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation in October 2021. The project will link the Chennai airport with the ports of Chennai, Kamarajar, and Kattupalli because it is adjacent to the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road. According to a pre-feasibility report, the project will also serve the secondary market clusters of Ranipet, Ambur, Tirupur, and Bengaluru, which are home to businesses including leather, heavy equipment parts, autos, cement, sugar, and chemicals. According to industry insiders, the project’s success depends on the availability of train service between Mappedu and the ports. If everything goes as planned, MMLPs will be a long-awaited solution to India’s logistical issues. These will act as centers for the shipping, receiving, and storing of freight, providing logistics companies with extra benefits like customs clearances. These parks will also support multimodal transit via inland waterways, trains, and highways in order to strengthen and diversify the logistics system.
