The upcoming Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra’s Palghar district is set to become a major maritime hub, projected to be three times larger than the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Nhava Sheva, Raigad.
JNPT is currently India’s leading container-handling port, responsible for around 50 per cent of the country’s total containerised cargo at major ports.
Speaking about the project at an interaction with Indian Foreign Service officers, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “The upcoming Vadhavan Port will be three times larger than JNPA and is expected to rank among the world’s top 10 ports. This port is set to give rise to a new economy over the next 20 years, with Mumbai alone having the potential to be a 1.5 trillion-dollar economy.”
The project, with an estimated total investment of Rs 76,220 crore, is being executed by Vadhavan Port Project Ltd (VPPL), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) jointly established by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (holding 74 per cent stake) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (holding 26 per cent).
The port’s development will follow the public-private partnership (PPP) model and will include the construction of core infrastructure, terminals, and commercial facilities.
In parallel, the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), a state government entity, has initiated a pre-feasibility study for a proposed greenfield airport in the Vadhavan region, aimed at further boosting regional connectivity and infrastructure.
Plans for the port also include road and rail connectivity. It will be linked to the national highways managed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, as well as to the existing railway network and the upcoming Dedicated Rail Freight Corridor under the Ministry of Railways.