RIL to develop multi-modal logistics park in Tamil Nadu, says govt

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has been awarded the work to develop the first multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) at Mappedu in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, the government said on Friday.

MMLP Chennai at Mappedu is being developed in an area of 184.27 acres.

"MoRTH has made significant progress under this National Master Plan and embarking on the same, MMLP Chennai at Mappedu being developed in 184.27 acres is 1st MMLP awarded to Reliance Industries Ltd for which prime minister laid the foundation stone," the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) said in a statement.

Under the 'PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP)', the road transport ministry is developing 35 multi-modal logistics parks, out of which 15 MMLPs are prioritised in the next three years.

According to the statement, MMLPs by the road ministry also lay the groundwork for developing such large-scale infrastructure projects in public-private partnership mode, for which both the Centre and the state have come together and a special purpose vehicle has been formed between the National Highways Logistics Management Ltd, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, Chennai Port Authority, and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.

"The estimated project cost is Rs 1,424 crore. Total concession period is 45 years," the statement said.

The special purpose vehicle will provide four-lane highway connectivity of 5.4 kilometres with an estimated cost of Rs 104 crore and a new rail siding to the MMLP site of 10.5 kilometre length with an estimated cost of Rs 217 crore.

MMLP at Chennai, which is strategically located at 52 kilometres from Chennai Port, 80 kilometres from Ennore Port, and 87 kilometres from Katupalli Airport, will be a focal point of logistics in the southern region.