In a decisive step towards strengthening India’s port logistics backbone, the Centre has approved a ₹132.51 crore Road Over Bridge (ROB) project at Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla, aiming to eliminate a long-standing cargo bottleneck and accelerate freight movement.
The project, cleared by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, comes at a time when India is aggressively scaling up port-led development to meet rising trade volumes and global supply chain demands.
Targeting a Critical Bottleneck
The ROB will be constructed at Level Crossing No. 235, a crucial junction that has historically slowed down cargo evacuation due to frequent rail-road conflicts. With Deendayal Port handling over 130 million tonnes of cargo annually, even minor delays at such crossings translate into significant logistical inefficiencies.
Once operational, the bridge is expected to:
- Eliminate waiting time for cargo trucks
- Ensure uninterrupted movement between port terminals and hinterland routes
- Reduce turnaround time for freight vehicles
Officials estimate that the ROB could improve cargo transit efficiency by 15–20% in peak movement corridors.
Boost to India’s Port-Led Growth Strategy
The project aligns closely with flagship national programmes like the Sagarmala Programme and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, both of which aim to integrate ports with road, rail, and inland waterways for seamless logistics.
India’s ports currently handle over 95% of the country’s trade by volume, and infrastructure gaps—especially last-mile connectivity—have been a key challenge. Projects like this ROB directly address those gaps by improving port-hinterland connectivity, a critical factor in reducing logistics costs that currently stand at around 13–14% of GDP.
Execution with Railway Expertise
The construction will be undertaken by Western Railway on a deposit basis, ensuring adherence to railway safety norms and engineering standards. The project has also been vetted by the Delegated Investment Board, reinforcing compliance with modern infrastructure benchmarks.
Economic Impact and Regional Advantage
Deendayal Port, located in Gujarat’s Kandla region, is one of India’s largest and most strategically positioned ports, handling key commodities such as:
- Crude oil and petroleum products
- Fertilisers
- Food grains
- Container cargo
Improved connectivity is expected to:
- Lower logistics costs for industries across northern and western India
- Enhance export competitiveness
- Support industrial clusters in Gujarat and neighbouring states
Industry stakeholders believe that smoother cargo flow could significantly reduce detention and demurrage costs, a long-standing concern for exporters and importers.
Government’s Larger Vision
Highlighting the importance of such projects, Minister Sonowal noted that infrastructure development today is not just about physical assets but about building an efficient, integrated logistics ecosystem.
With integration into the PM Gati Shakti digital platform, the project will benefit from real-time coordination among ministries, enabling faster execution and minimizing delays—an issue that has historically plagued large infrastructure works.
The ₹132.51 crore ROB project may appear modest in scale, but its impact on cargo efficiency, trade facilitation, and regional economic growth could be substantial. As India pushes towards becoming a $5 trillion economy, such targeted infrastructure interventions will play a crucial role in ensuring that the country’s logistics network keeps pace with its ambitions.