Union Cabinet Approves Dighi Port Industrial Area as One of 12 New Industrial Smart Cities

What was decided

In a decision on Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved 12 new project proposals under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved 12 new project proposals under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) with an estimated investment of Rs. 28,602 crore. Spanning across 10 states and strategically planned along 6 major corridors, the projects were located in Khurpia (Uttarakhand), Rajpura-Patiala (Punjab), Dighi (Maharashtra), Palakkad (Kerala), Agra and Prayagraj (UP), Gaya (Bihar), Zaheerabad (Telangana), Orvakal and Kopparthy (Andhra Pradesh) and Jodhpur-Pali (Rajasthan).

The Dighi Port Industrial Area (DPIA) was the Maharashtra component of this package and, by area, the largest of the 12 approved sites.

Operative details: area, cost and boundaries

Located 55 km east of Dighi Port, the project has an estimated cost of Rs 5,469 crore and an investment potential of Rs 38,000 crore, expected to create around 114,183 jobs. The proposed industrial smart city will span 6,056 acres and involve an investment of Rs 5,469 crore.

DPIA will be spread across Roha and Mangaon tehsils of Raigad district, developed over 6056 acres. The site, proposed over 6,056 acres at a cost of Rs.5,469 Crore, will be a port-led development due to its proximity to Dighi Port, which is 55 km from the site.

Some official communications give slightly different job figures for the same project — one DPIIT briefing cites an investment of Rs. 38,000 Crore expected from industries such as general engineering, food & beverages and pharmaceuticals, creating employment opportunities for about 1,14,000 people, while Swarajya's report based on state officials put the figure at approximately 109,185 jobs. Both figures trace to the same 28 August 2024 Cabinet approval; the site does not treat either as more authoritative than the other.

Sectoral focus and connectivity

With seamless connectivity via NH66, NH753F, and Major State Highway 05, DPIA is designed to cater to sectors like Engineering, Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Textiles, and Food & Beverages. The Dighi industrial smart city will benefit from its proximity to NH753F Mangaon-Pune and NH66 Mumbai-Goa national highways, as well as state highway 97, with rail links to Kolad, Indapur, and Mangaon, and access to Mumbai Airport, Pune Airport, and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.

A Multi-Modal Logistic Park is also proposed at Dighi, aimed at optimising freight and passenger movement. This is expected to reduce logistics costs from the current 14-16 per cent to around 9 per cent.

Implementation status after the Cabinet decision

As of the decision date and the months immediately following, DPIA remained at the planning and clearance stage rather than under physical construction. NICDC's CEO & MD stated that a lot of time savings had already been made in terms of master planning, obtaining environmental clearance from MoEF&CC, and land acquisition, which would reduce turnaround time for industries once infrastructure is ready.

Following the 28 August 2024 Cabinet decision, the Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) visited the proposed DPIA site, accompanied by NICDC's CEO & MD and the MD of Maharashtra Industrial Township Limited, to review key features of the site.

Roughly six months later, ministerial attention continued: on 20 February 2025, Union Minister Piyush Goyal conducted an aerial survey of DPIA, and officials briefed him on the advanced trunk infrastructure, master planning, and sectoral opportunities within the project. He directed authorities to ensure best-in-class infrastructure at DPIA to set a benchmark for other industrial zones.

Broader context: the 12-city NICDP package

By positioning India as a strong player in Global Value Chains, the NICDP is intended to provide developed land parcels ready for immediate allotment for domestic and international investors, aligning with the objective of an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. Across the 12 cities nationally, NICDP is expected to generate an estimated 1 million direct jobs and up to 3 million indirect jobs. In addition to these 12 new sanctions, the NICDP has already seen the completion of four projects, with another four currently under implementation.

A later DPIIT status note put the combined area of the 12 new 2024 approvals at a specific figure: the 12 new greenfield projects approved by the Union Cabinet on 28th August 2024 cover 25,975 acres with a project cost of ₹28,602 crore, and an employment potential of 9,39,416 and investment potential of ₹1.5 lakh crore.

Practical effect for investors and local stakeholders

The Cabinet's approval is a national-level policy and funding sanction — it authorises NICDC and Maharashtra's implementing agencies (including Maharashtra Industrial Township Limited and MIDC) to proceed with master planning, land acquisition, environmental clearance and trunk infrastructure for DPIA. It is not the same as a completed land-allotment process or an operational industrial park. As of the site visits recorded through February 2025, DPIA was still at the master-planning, clearance, and land-acquisition stage rather than open for plot allotment or production. Investors and land-owners in the affected Roha and Mangaon tehsil villages should treat this record as the origin point of the project's legal/administrative timeline, not as evidence that infrastructure or allotments are complete.