The National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a subsidiary of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has issued a termination notice to a UK-based company that had secured the contract to develop the Nagpur Multi-Modal Logistics Park (NMLP) — popularly known as the Sindi Dry Port — located on the Nagpur–Wardha border.
Following the termination, NHLML is preparing to invite fresh bids for the project and is also considering the possibility of executing the development on its own. The terminated concessionaire, Delta Corp, has challenged the decision in court. The company declined to comment when contacted.
The Sindi Dry Port is a flagship initiative of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, envisioned as a key logistics hub under the PM Gati Shakti programme. In 2023, Delta Corp was awarded the 45-year concession to develop the facility over 150 acres, involving an investment of over ₹360 crore, with the total project cost estimated at ₹660 crore.
The termination followed Delta Corp’s failure to meet key project milestones outlined in the stage-wise development schedule. An initial notice seeking clarification was issued, and when satisfactory progress was not demonstrated, a final termination notice was served.
The project has already suffered significant delays, despite being planned as a critical multimodal node linking rail and road networks and providing direct connectivity to major seaports. Once completed, the Sindi Dry Port is expected to house warehouses, cargo handling facilities, and allied infrastructure, serving as a single integrated logistics destination for central India.
Given the project’s strategic importance, NHLML is moving swiftly to re-tender the project while exploring alternate implementation models to ensure completion within the planned timeline, an official added.
