3 April 2026·PIB

Government Approves ₹132.51 Crore for Critical Port Connectivity Project at Kandla

In this note

1. At a Glance

Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) approved a ₹132.51 crore Road Over Bridge (ROB) at Level Crossing LC-235 of Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla, under the Sagarmala Programme [1].
Project is aligned with PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal logistics and is intended to decongest cargo evacuation routes at India's busiest major port by tonnage [1][3].
Examinable as a convergence point for Sagarmala, PM Gati Shakti, Major Port Authorities Act 2021, and India's Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

On 3 April 2026, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal approved the ROB at LC-235 at an estimated cost of ₹132.51 crore, funded under Sagarmala [1].
The proposal was appraised by the Delegated Investment Board (DIB) chaired by the Secretary, MoPSW [1].
Construction is to be executed by Western Railway on a deposit basis [1].

1931: Kandla developed as port; 1955: declared a Major Port under Indian Ports Act 1908 [1].
2017: Kandla Port Trust renamed Deendayal Port Trust (now Deendayal Port Authority after Major Port Authorities Act, 2021) [2].
2015: Sagarmala Programme launched by MoPSW for port-led development [1].
2021: PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan launched to integrate multi-modal infrastructure [1].
FY 2025–26: Deendayal Port became the fastest major port to cross 100 Million Tonnes of cargo handled [3].

Project: Road Over Bridge at LC-235, Deendayal Port [1].
Cost: ₹132.51 crore, fully under Sagarmala funding [1].
Approving Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) [1].
Approving Authority: Delegated Investment Board (DIB), chaired by Secretary, MoPSW [1].
Executing Agency: Western Railway (on deposit basis) [1].
Location: Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, Kutch district, Gujarat [1].
Parent statute for port governance: Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 [2].
Flagship umbrella schemes: Sagarmala (2015) + PM Gati Shakti (2021) [1].
Minister in charge: Sarbananda Sonowal [1].

Economic

Decongests cargo evacuation at India's largest major port by throughput (>100 MT in FY 2025-26), directly cutting logistics costs [1][3].
Supports India's target of reducing logistics cost from ~13–14% of GDP to <9% under National Logistics Policy alignment with Gati Shakti [1].

Administrative / Governance

Demonstrates use of DIB mechanism for faster intra-ministerial project clearance, bypassing Cabinet referrals for sub-threshold projects [1].
Inter-agency execution model: MoPSW funds, Western Railway (Ministry of Railways) executes — a federal cooperation template [1].

Strategic / Infrastructure

Kandla handles bulk of India's crude, POL, foodgrain, fertiliser imports for North/Northwest hinterland; uninterrupted rail-road interface is critical for energy security [3].
ROB eliminates the rail-level crossing bottleneck, enabling 24×7 cargo evacuation [1].

Environmental

Reduced idling of trucks at level crossings → lower diesel emissions and noise; aligned with Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines (2023) of MoPSW [1].

FY 2025-26: Deendayal Port crossed 100 Million Tonnes cargo — fastest major port to do so [3].
3 April 2026: MoPSW approves ₹132.51 crore ROB at LC-235, DPA Kandla [1].

ROB project at LC-235 sanctioned cost: ₹132.51 crore [1].
Funding source: Sagarmala Programme (not Bharatmala) [1].
Executing agency: Western Railway, on deposit basis [1].
Appraising body: Delegated Investment Board (DIB) under MoPSW [1].
Kandla Port renamed Deendayal Port in 2017 [2].
Port now governed by Deendayal Port Authority under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 [2].
Sagarmala Programme launched in 2015 by MoPSW [1].
PM Gati Shakti NMP launched in 2021 [1].
Union Minister of MoPSW: Sarbananda Sonowal [1].
Deendayal Port, Kandla, located in Kutch district, Gujarat, on the Gulf of Kutch [1].
Deendayal Port: fastest major port to cross 100 MT in FY 2025-26 [3].
India has 12 Major Ports; Deendayal is one of them on the west coast [3].

GS-III: Infrastructure – Ports; Investment Models; Economy; Logistics.
GS-II: Government Policies and Interventions (Sagarmala, Gati Shakti); Federal coordination among ministries.
Possible question stems:
"Discuss how Sagarmala, in convergence with PM Gati Shakti, is reshaping India's port-led development paradigm. Illustrate with recent examples." (GS-III)
"Examine the institutional reforms ushered in by the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, in the context of operational autonomy of major ports." (GS-II)
"Last-mile rail-road connectivity remains the Achilles heel of Indian ports. Critically analyse." (GS-III)

Sagarmala Programme — direct funding source for this project [1].
PM Gati Shakti NMP — framework for multi-modal convergence [1].
Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 — governs DPA [2].
Maritime India Vision 2030 & Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 — long-term sectoral roadmap.
National Logistics Policy 2022 — complements Gati Shakti.
Dedicated Freight Corridors (Western DFC) — terminates at JNPA, but interfaces with Kandla hinterland traffic.
Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines (2023) — sustainability dimension.
12 Major Ports of India — comparative geography.

Wrong ministry: ROB is under MoPSW, not Ministry of Road Transport & Highways or Ministry of Railways — though Western Railway executes [1].
Wrong funding scheme: Funded by Sagarmala, not Bharatmala or PMGSY [1].
Name confusion: "Kandla Port" is now officially Deendayal Port Authority since 2017 (renaming) and 2021 (Act-based authority) [2].
Approval body confusion: Cleared by DIB (Delegated Investment Board) within MoPSW, not by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs [1].
State confusion: Located in Gujarat (Kutch) on Gulf of Kutch — not Maharashtra or any other coast [1].