Indian Railways is examining the feasibility of developing a dedicated freight rail corridor alongside Maharashtra’s 701-km Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway, a move that could significantly strengthen the state’s multimodal logistics network and boost industrial activity along the corridor.
The proposed freight corridor is being studied under India’s expanding Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) programme and could connect Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and the upcoming Vadhvan Port with industrial centres and inland logistics hubs across Maharashtra.
The network is also envisaged to provide rail connectivity to dry ports at Jalna and Wardha, creating an integrated road-rail-port freight system. The corridor could help reduce logistics costs, improve cargo turnaround times and strengthen supply chains serving manufacturing and export-oriented industries.
Nashik is expected to be a major beneficiary, with improved freight rail connectivity potentially providing faster access to ports for engineering, automotive components, food processing and agricultural cargo. Industry representatives believe the project could also encourage investment in warehousing, logistics and manufacturing along the Samruddhi Expressway.
If the proposal moves beyond the feasibility stage, the freight corridor could emerge as a key logistics backbone for Maharashtra, integrating the Samruddhi Expressway with major ports, industrial clusters and inland freight terminals while strengthening connectivity between western and eastern Maharashtra.