Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation of a Port-Based Multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ), an ambitious project aimed at generating 1.5 lakh direct and indirect jobs, at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) at Sheva, Navi Mumbai on August 16.
Being developed on a sprawling 277 hectares’ area, the proposed industrial infrastructure with a total Public and Private investment of Rs4,000 crore is a Self-Sustainable Integrated Development Project.To be developed through the JNPT-Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) mode, the project is expected to be completed in three years.
“With focus on the collaborating-upcoming sectors of India, the SEZ will develop Free Trade Warehousing Zone, Engineering Goods Sector, Electronics and Hardware Sectors, Non-Conventional Energy Sector, Multi Services (IT and Healthcare) Sectors and Apparel and Textiles Sectors,” an official release stated.Modi, who will arrive in the city on a day’s visit to Maharashtra, will also lay the foundation of a Port Connectivity Highway Project at the JNPT and also allot land to JNPT Project Affected persons (PAPs) under the 12.5 per cent scheme.
The start of the two projects – the JNPT SEZ and Port Connectivity Highway Project –was expedited by Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways & Shipping & Rural Development Nitin Gadkari during the last two months.The Port Connectivity Highway Project, being set up under the Centre’s National Highway Development & Port Connectivity Programme — at a civil cost of Rs1,926.57 crore is likely to be completed by December 2017. like the JNPT, the Ministry of Shipping plans to execute this Project on EPC mode through the SPV.
According to an official release, the rapid development in the area on account of development of JN Port, JNPT-SEZ and the proposed International Airport has prompted the Road Transport, Highways & Shipping Ministry to think in terms of augmenting the carrying capacity of the existing road network to 6 to 8 lane configuration.
The Ministry plans to accomplish its objective by providing improved facilities comprising of flyovers, railway over bridges, interchanges etc for uninterrupted flow of traffic plying on the road network connecting the Port and the National Highways.The NH-4B, Amra Marg and SH-54 were developed to a four-lane facility by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) through the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) comprising of NHAI, JNPT and CIDCO.