The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has confirmed that India’s first Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in Jogighopa, Assam, is on track for completion and operational status by next year. This project marks a significant milestone in India’s logistics sector, despite facing several delays due to operational challenges.
The Jogighopa MMLP, a key component of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, is the first among 35 such facilities planned nationwide. Funded entirely by the government and managed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), the park is poised to become a crucial node in India’s logistics network. According to the latest annual report from MoRTH for 2023-24, substantial progress has been made in developing road, rail, and water connectivity at the Jogighopa site. The report highlights ongoing work in site leveling, boundary construction, and the erection of administrative and waste treatment buildings. Additionally, the procurement process for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) developers is underway to establish logistics facilities including business centres, container yards, warehouses, and cold storage units.
The projected cost for the first phase of the Jogighopa MMLP stands at ₹693.97 crore, with the foundation stone laid by the Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, in October 2020. The MoRTH finalised the Model Concessionaire Agreement (MCA) for MMLPs in October 2021, a critical framework that, along with the Model RFP document finalised in November 2021, will guide future MMLP projects. The broader plan under Bharatmala Pariyojana envisions the development of 35 MMLPs with an anticipated total investment of around ₹46,000 crore. These parks are expected to handle approximately 700 million metric tonnes of cargo annually. Of these, 15 MMLPs have been prioritised for development with an investment of about ₹22,000 crore. Six MMLPs, including Jogighopa, Chennai, Indore, Bengaluru, Nagpur, and Jalna, have already been awarded.
Looking ahead, MoRTH intends to sanction seven additional MMLPs in the 2024-25 period, with projects in Anantapur, Pune, and Nashik currently open for bids. This ambitious initiative underscores the government’s commitment to advancing India’s logistics infrastructure, with the Jogighopa MMLP representing a pivotal step in this transformative journey.
