GUWAHATI, Oct 18 - Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will set the ball rolling on Tuesday for India�s first international multi-modal logistic park (MMLP) to be built at Jogighopa in Bongaigaon at an investment of Rs 3,000 crore under the Bharatmala Project.
Envisioned to drive economic growth and trade competitiveness of India through an integrated, seamless, efficient, reliable and cost-effective logistics network, the Jogighopa MMLP project is the first among 35 such MMLP projects identified for implementation across the country and the only one that will be funded completely by the Government of India. It is aimed at improving logistics efficiency and facilitate domestic and export-import trade in the region.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has entrusted NHIDCL with the work of development of the MMLP at Jogighopa. The Assam government has approved transfer of 200 acres of land belonging to Ashok Paper Mill.
�The project site has a vantage location and will offer multi modal connectivity through rail, road, and waterways to the states in the North East and beyond. Jogighopa MMLP is also linked to the Eastern-Western Corridor via the Tulungia- Hapachara Highway, a project awarded for improvement to a four-lane highway,� industry officials said.
The principal components of the project are development of an MMLP over 190 acres of land at the Ashok Paper Mill site, developing a network of external roads and creating rail connectivity to and from the MMLP and between the MMLP and the Inland Water Terminal (IWT) and developing 40 acres of land of the IWT.
The MMLP is proposed to be developed in two phases, and will be led by a Special Purpose Vehicle that includes members from the Government of Assam, NHIDCL and Ashok Paper Mill.
Under Phase I, 102 acres of the MMLP will be developed along with the external road and rail connectivity. Under Phase II, the remaining work of the logistics park will be taken up. The total project cost of Phase I is Rs 693.07 crore. Phase II is in project preparation stage and the project cost is yet to be finalised.
A formal MoU signing ceremony between NHIDCL and Ashok Paper Mill will be organised on October 20.
�The underdeveloped logistics has over the years been the root cause of delays in business and transportation of finished products. Lack of proper logistics facility has hindered the growth of export and import of products from the State. In fact, our fresh fruits and vegetables have tremendous scope in the international market. Being perishable, these get damaged before we can export and market these items even in the domestic circuit beyond the North East. So this logistics park shall go a long way in filling up these lacunae. This hub will speed up the export-import facility of these perishable items at a lesser cost compared to the present ones,� the officials said.
The MMLP is also expected to attract investment in a big way as it will make it easier for industrialists to bring in raw materials and send the finished products to markets outside, while taking care of the storage factor also. The MMLP will offer a single point clearance platform for various government mandatory approvals like customs, excise, etc., helping in smooth transportation of goods and products.
