The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is exploring the use of strategic railway nodes along the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) to accelerate container evacuation from the port and strengthen connectivity with major logistics and warehousing hubs in Bhiwandi.
JNPA Chairman Gaurav Dayal, IAS, Deputy Chairman Ravish Singh, IRTS, and senior port officials inspected key railway facilities along the DFC route on Sunday as part of an assessment to enhance multimodal cargo movement.
The delegation visited the newly developed Kharbhav Railway Station to evaluate its operational potential for freight movement linked to the DFC. Integrating Kharbhav into JNPA’s freight network could enable faster movement of containerised cargo from the port to Bhiwandi and other major consumption and distribution centres, while reducing transit times and reliance on road transportation.
The officials also inspected the Bhiwandi Warehousing Hub to assess its supply chain capacity, storage readiness and last-mile logistics efficiency. The delegation subsequently visited the New Nilanje Railway Station and examined its potential to serve as an additional freight node in the expanding rail-freight network.
“Efficient multimodal connectivity is the backbone of modern port operations. By maximising the potential of the Dedicated Freight Corridor through strategic rail nodes like Kharbhav and Nilanje, JNPA aims to offer seamless, faster and environmentally sustainable container evacuation routes directly to key commercial clusters like Bhiwandi,” Dayal said.
Singh said increasing the share of container traffic moved by rail would help reduce logistics costs and turnaround times. “Transitioning a higher share of container traffic from road to rail is crucial for reducing logistics costs and turnaround times. Our joint assessments today reinforce our commitment to building resilient hinterland connectivity that supports the growth of trade and industry,” he said.
The initiative forms part of JNPA’s broader efforts under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to promote integrated infrastructure development and improve cargo-handling efficiency. Strengthening rail connectivity is also expected to ease road congestion and improve the port’s links with key consumption and distribution centres across the hinterland.