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

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 [S1].
• 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 [S1][S3].
• Examinable as a convergence point for Sagarmala, PM Gati Shakti, Major Port Authorities Act 2021, and India's Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

2. Why in the News

• 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 [S1].
• The proposal was appraised by the Delegated Investment Board (DIB) chaired by the Secretary, MoPSW [S1].
• Construction is to be executed by Western Railway on a deposit basis [S1].

3. Background & Evolution

• 1931: Kandla developed as port; 1955: declared a Major Port under Indian Ports Act 1908 [S1].
• 2017: Kandla Port Trust renamed Deendayal Port Trust (now Deendayal Port Authority after Major Port Authorities Act, 2021) [S2].
• 2015: Sagarmala Programme launched by MoPSW for port-led development [S1].
• 2021: PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan launched to integrate multi-modal infrastructure [S1].
• FY 2025–26: Deendayal Port became the fastest major port to cross 100 Million Tonnes of cargo handled [S3].

4. Core Static Facts

• Project: Road Over Bridge at LC-235, Deendayal Port [S1].
• Cost: ₹132.51 crore, fully under Sagarmala funding [S1].
• Approving Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) [S1].
• Approving Authority: Delegated Investment Board (DIB), chaired by Secretary, MoPSW [S1].
• Executing Agency: Western Railway (on deposit basis) [S1].
• Location: Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, Kutch district, Gujarat [S1].
• Parent statute for port governance: Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 [S2].
• Flagship umbrella schemes: Sagarmala (2015) + PM Gati Shakti (2021) [S1].
• Minister in charge: Sarbananda Sonowal [S1].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic - Decongests cargo evacuation at India's largest major port by throughput (>100 MT in FY 2025-26), directly cutting logistics costs [S1][S3]. - Supports India's target of reducing logistics cost from ~13–14% of GDP to <9% under National Logistics Policy alignment with Gati Shakti [S1].

Administrative / Governance - Demonstrates use of DIB mechanism for faster intra-ministerial project clearance, bypassing Cabinet referrals for sub-threshold projects [S1]. - Inter-agency execution model: MoPSW funds, Western Railway (Ministry of Railways) executes — a federal cooperation template [S1].

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 [S3]. - ROB eliminates the rail-level crossing bottleneck, enabling 24×7 cargo evacuation [S1].

Environmental - Reduced idling of trucks at level crossings → lower diesel emissions and noise; aligned with Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines (2023) of MoPSW [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• FY 2025-26: Deendayal Port crossed 100 Million Tonnes cargo — fastest major port to do so [S3].
• 3 April 2026: MoPSW approves ₹132.51 crore ROB at LC-235, DPA Kandla [S1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• ROB project at LC-235 sanctioned cost: ₹132.51 crore [S1].
• Funding source: Sagarmala Programme (not Bharatmala) [S1].
• Executing agency: Western Railway, on deposit basis [S1].
• Appraising body: Delegated Investment Board (DIB) under MoPSW [S1].
• Kandla Port renamed Deendayal Port in 2017 [S2].
• Port now governed by Deendayal Port Authority under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 [S2].
• Sagarmala Programme launched in 2015 by MoPSW [S1].
• PM Gati Shakti NMP launched in 2021 [S1].
• Union Minister of MoPSW: Sarbananda Sonowal [S1].
• Deendayal Port, Kandla, located in Kutch district, Gujarat, on the Gulf of Kutch [S1].
• Deendayal Port: fastest major port to cross 100 MT in FY 2025-26 [S3].
• India has 12 Major Ports; Deendayal is one of them on the west coast [S3].

8. Mains Relevance

• 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)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Sagarmala Programme — direct funding source for this project [S1].
• PM Gati Shakti NMP — framework for multi-modal convergence [S1].
• Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 — governs DPA [S2].
• 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.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Wrong ministry: ROB is under MoPSW, not Ministry of Road Transport & Highways or Ministry of Railways — though Western Railway executes [S1].
• Wrong funding scheme: Funded by Sagarmala, not Bharatmala or PMGSY [S1].
• Name confusion: "Kandla Port" is now officially Deendayal Port Authority since 2017 (renaming) and 2021 (Act-based authority) [S2].
• Approval body confusion: Cleared by DIB (Delegated Investment Board) within MoPSW, not by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs [S1].
• State confusion: Located in Gujarat (Kutch) on Gulf of Kutch — not Maharashtra or any other coast [S1].

11. Sources

• [S1] Government Approves ₹132.51 Crore for Critical Port Connectivity Project at Kandla — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2248779 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] Kandla Port renamed as Deendayal Port — https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171120 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla Becomes the Fastest Major Port in India to Reach 100 Million Tons in FY 2025–26 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2195838 — (tier: 1)