Four infrastructure companies have expressed interest at the pre-bid stage for developing the Nagpur Multi-Modal Logistics Park (NMMLP) at Sindi, as the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) has floated fresh tenders for the ambitious project.
Also known as the Sindi Dry Port, the logistics park is one of the flagship initiatives of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, aimed at transforming Nagpur into a logistics and transport hub. The project, part of the Centre’s Gati Shakti National Master Plan, will be developed over 150 acres along the Nagpur–Wardha border with a total investment of around ₹660 crore.
According to sources, a pre-bid meeting was recently held where representatives of four companies participated. The process will now move to the technical and financial bidding stages if the interested firms choose to proceed.
However, the project has been mired in controversy following NHLML’s decision to terminate the earlier contract awarded to Delta Corp, a UK-based infrastructure company, in 2023. The termination was reportedly due to slow progress and missed milestones, prompting NHLML to initiate a re-tendering process.
In response, Delta Corp has moved the court and submitted a detailed note contesting the re-tendering. The company termed the termination “premature and illegal,” asserting that the decision was made despite substantial progress on the ground.
“Even considering a re-tender while the minimum guarantee exceeding ₹360 crore to the government remains in force would neither be prudent nor in the public interest,” the company stated. “The step could prolong litigation and delay this critical project.”
Delta Corp claimed that procedural delays from various authorities, including the independent engineer, hindered early progress. “The final master plans were approved only in January 2025—six months after the date of appointment—and EPC work commenced within weeks of approval,” the note added.
The company maintained that the project was on track for completion by July 2026, as originally planned, with commercial operations by major steel and automotive players expected to begin by October 2025.
“The termination disregards the broader objectives of the PM Gati Shakti programme, which seeks to accelerate integrated infrastructure development,” the company said, warning that the move has dented investor confidence and disrupted momentum around the strategically significant project.
The Nagpur Multi-Modal Logistics Park is among 35 such facilities planned nationwide to enhance logistics efficiency and reduce transportation costs, forming a crucial component of India’s multi-modal connectivity strategy.
