Jalna dry port to begin operations within a month; boost to imports and exports

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The country’s first dry port at Jalna will begin operations within a month after the tender was awarded to Vikas Coal and Minerals Pvt. Ltd., which will handle cargo operations.

Approved through the initiative of union minister Nitin Gadkari and former union minister of state for railways Raosaheb Danve, the 400-acre project near Jalna city has been under development since 2014. Though delayed earlier, most works are now complete and customs clearance has been secured. Essential facilities have been developed over 64 acres, and a dedicated railway line from Dinegaon to the port, along with a goods yard, has been laid. The project is expected to ease imports and exports for industries across Marathwada, generate employment and accelerate regional growth. The Jalna steel industry will benefit through direct import of raw materials. Major companies such as Toyota and JSW in the DMIC area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will route cargo through the port, while Kesar mangoes and vegetables from the region will reach overseas markets faster. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the port before the Lok Sabha elections. Operations have been handed to the company for 15 years, in return for a fixed annual payment to the MMLP authority.

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“This is a highly significant Central government project. Continuous follow-up at senior and administrative levels over the past six months has helped expedite it. It will simplify imports and exports for Jalna, Marathwada and other districts, giving a major boost to development,” said Jalna district collector Ashima Mittal.