(The Gist of PIB) Assam to get country’s 1st multimodal logistics park

(THE GIST OF PIB) Assam to get country’s 1st multimodal logistics park

Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Shri Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for country’s first Multi-modal Logistic Park at Jogighopa in Assam.

MMLP is the refined form of Logistics Park where various value-added services are rendered in addition to rail/road-based transportation.
MMLP will be developed under Bharatmala Pariyojna and will provide direct air, road, rail and waterways connectivity to the people.
Earlier in 2017, a program was launched to develop 35 MMLPs across the country.
Draft National Logistics Policy also emphasizes on the development of MMLPs.
Development of MMLPs at strategic locations will rationalize logistics cost in India and improve its competitiveness.
At 13%-14% of GDP, logistics costs are far higher than the global benchmark of 7%-8%.

Skewed modal transportation mix: In India, 60% of freight moves by road, significantly larger than in many developed economies.
Underdeveloped material handling infrastructure.
Procedural complexities related to toll collections, inter-state freight movement etc.

Infrastructure for enabling seamless multimodal freight transfer.
Mechanized warehouses and specialized storage solutions such as cold storage.
Value-added services such as customs clearance, quarantine zones, testing facilities, and warehousing management services.
Late-stage manufacturing activities such as grading, sorting, labelling, packaging etc.