‘PM Gati Shakti’ initiative launched by Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on 13th October 2021 will give a fresh boost to the connectivity infrastructure in the nation. One such upcoming project in the Chennai region is a multimodal logistic park at Mappedu. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in this regard, was signed on 12th October 2021 amongst Chennai Port Trust (ChPT), National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Government of Tamil Nadu(TIDCO, GoTN) to developa state-of-the-art multimodal logistic park (MMLP) at Mappedu.

The MMLP project will be developed over 158 acres of land in Mappedu village of Tiruvallur district at an estimated cost of INR 1045 crores.It will have road and rail connectivity. The MMLP will act as a world-classlogistic aggregation/ disaggregation point for various forms of cargo across different transportation modes. It will provide large-scale warehousing and cold storage facility with provisions for value-added services viz. packaging, labelling, etc. This logistic park will be a one-stop solution for all services related to cargo movement viz. cross-docking, container stackyard, custom clearance,testing facilities, documentation, weighbridges, etc. Various amenities such as truck parking, truck repair, lodging for drivers, eating joints, etc. will also be provided. A road over-bridge near the MMLP is planned to ensure seamless movement of through traffic.

The MMLP at Mappedu is among the first projects to be chosen for implementation under a grand scheme of ‘BharatmalaPariyojna’ of the Government of India. Under this scheme, 35 such multimodal logistic parks are planned across the country to enhance logistics efficiency and to reduce logistics costs. Provision of rail connectivity will reduce transit time, increase handling efficiencyand substantially reduce road traffic besides reducing air pollution. A state-of-the-art Freight Management System will ensure seamless cargo transfer from one mode to another throughout the MMLP network.

To develop the MMLP at Mappedu, aSpecial Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed with all the three stakeholders viz. ChPT, NHAI and TIDCO. Chennai port will hand over the 121.74 acres of ‘Port Trust Land’ to the SPV, GoTN will contribute Rs. 50 crores to the SPV.Additional area of 36.23 acresadjacent to the ‘Port Trust Land’ will be acquired by NHAI. NHAI will also bear the cost of the road connectivity project. A new railway siding will be developed at the MMLP to provide rail connectivityfrom the nearest rail head near Kadambattur for a length of about 12 km. We are in talks with Railway Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Railways, to participate in the SPV. The capital contribution of the RVNL will be treated as equity in the SPV.The Special Purpose Vehicle will select a concessionaire/ contractor through competitive bidding for the development and operation of this MMLP.

To conclude, the MMLP project will induce favourable logistic parameters with regard to time and cost. It will also enable industrial development in the region, providing new employment opportunities. Lauch of ‘PM Gati Shakti’ will ensure close monitoring and a speedy completion of the project. 

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