Cabinet approves Rs 4,500 crore highway for JNPA port

The Indian Cabinet has approved a major infrastructure project to build a new six-lane highway. This highway will connect the JNPA port in Maharashtra to the Mumbai-Pune Highway. The project's total cost is approximately Rs 4,500 crore. The highway will start at Pagote village near the JNPA port and end at Chowk, covering a distance of about 29 kilometers. It will also link to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Mumbai-Goa National Highway. This decision comes as container traffic at JNPA port is increasing, along with the construction of the Navi Mumbai International Airport. Currently, it takes 2 to 3 hours to travel from JNPA port to major highways due to heavy traffic congestion. Once the airport opens in 2025, the need for better connectivity is expected to rise further. The new highway aims to facilitate smoother freight movement and enhance the overall logistics network in the region. To improve travel, the project will include two tunnels through the Sahayadri mountains. This design is intended to ease transport for large trucks, avoiding the more difficult hilly routes. Overall, this project is expected to spur growth and development in Mumbai and Pune while making road travel more efficient for commercial vehicles.