CMA CGM’s Nhava Sheva Terminal takes steps to reduce landside congestion
MUMBAI : Landside traffic congestion at CMA CGM’s Nhava Sheva is poised to reduce following the Centre’s approval of a major road infrastructure project designed to improve cargo evacuation from India’s largest container port. The move is being welcomed by exporters, transporters and logistics players who have been struggling with prolonged truck queues at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).
The approved project involves the development of a new 29-km greenfield access corridor that will provide a direct link between the port complex and the nearest state highway junction. To be implemented under a build–operate–transfer (BOT) model, the six-lane road is expected to attract an investment of around US$525 million.
According to an official government release, enhancing last-mile and hinterland connectivity for ports remains a key focus under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan. Authorities highlighted that sustained growth in container traffic at JNPA, along with the impending commissioning of Navi Mumbai International Airport, has made it essential to expand and modernise road links in the region.
At present, trucks entering and exiting Nhava Sheva often require up to three hours to connect with the highway network due to chronic congestion on existing roads. Officials cautioned that without capacity augmentation, delays would worsen as port volumes continue to rise.
The proposed corridor is expected to ease freight movement, reduce transit times, and improve road safety, while also boosting overall logistics efficiency between JNPA and the airport. Beyond port operations, the project is likely to spur economic activity by creating new development corridors across the Mumbai–Pune region.
Nhava Sheva currently operates six container terminals and handles a major share of India’s containerised cargo. In recent weeks, worsening truck turnaround times have drawn strong reactions from transport unions as well as exporters and importers.
Traffic pressure has been driven by robust volume growth at the port. Between April 2024 and February 2025, JNPA recorded a 13.6% year-on-year increase in container throughput to 6.6 million TEUs, data accessed by Container News showed. With the current momentum, total volumes in FY2024-25 are projected to exceed 7 million TEUs, marking a new all-time high for the port.
Additional pressure on landside infrastructure is expected in the near term, with PSA Mumbai’s Phase-2 expansion at Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals (BMCT) scheduled to add 2.4 million TEUs of capacity from next month. Once commissioned, the expansion will significantly increase cargo flows, reinforcing the urgency of improved road connectivity to maintain operational efficiency at Nhava Sheva.