The proposed Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Sindi Railway in Maharashtra’s Wardha district is expected to strengthen Vidarbha’s export infrastructure, reduce transportation costs and generate employment opportunities for residents, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said.
Speaking at the bhoomipujan ceremony of the project at Sindi Railway, Gadkari said the facility would enable direct exports of cotton, cotton lint, yarn, textiles, oranges and vegetables from Vidarbha to international markets through Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).
The project is being jointly developed by National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a special purpose vehicle of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and JNPA across 150 acres of land near Sindi Railway station. AMARA TRANZ Solution is associated with its development.
Gadkari said the logistics park would significantly improve cargo movement from the Vidarbha region by providing better multimodal connectivity and reducing dependence on conventional routes through Mumbai. The facility is also expected to improve transportation efficiency along trade routes connecting Mumbai, Colombo and Dhaka.
Highlighting the cost benefits, Gadkari said the proposed dry port would facilitate the movement of cotton, cotton lint, textiles and oranges from Vidarbha to Bangladesh through Haldia in Kolkata, without requiring cargo to be transported to Mumbai. This is expected to bring down transportation costs per container from around ₹1.5 lakh to ₹1 lakh, offering considerable savings to exporters and farmers.
He also revealed that the first rake carrying Maruti Suzuki cars had already commenced operations from the project site, marking an important step towards establishing Sindi Railway as a regional logistics hub.
The MMLP, coming up on the Nagpur–Wardha district border with funding support from the Central and State Governments, will be connected to the dry port facility. It will house supporting infrastructure, including cold storage facilities and warehouses, to facilitate cargo consolidation and improve supply chain efficiency.
The project will also focus on developing exporter clusters and bringing together major industries from Nagpur and Wardha, enabling them to access domestic and international markets more efficiently.
A customs office is also proposed at Sindi Railway, allowing the facility to handle export and import containers from across India and overseas markets. The integrated infrastructure is expected to strengthen the region’s multimodal connectivity, enhance export competitiveness and create new opportunities for farmers, manufacturers and logistics service providers.
The bhoomipujan ceremony was attended by Guardian Minister Dr. Pankaj Bhoyar, MLA Sameer Kunawar, District Collector Vanmathi C, former MP Ramdas Tadas and Sindi Railway Municipal Council President Rani Kalode, among other dignitaries.