PM GatiShakti is catalysing India’s route towards a developed economy by 2047. Progress in the infrastructure development is strengthening manufacturing and exports’ growth horizons with improved ease of doing business and reduced costs of doing business.
In a historic move to redefine India’s infrastructure landscape, the Hon’ble Prime Minister launched the Prime Minister GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) on October 13, 2021. This visionary initiative seeks to establish a robust multimodal connectivity infrastructure network across various economic zones, aiming for integrated planning and synchronized project implementation. Since its implementation, PM Gatishakti has given a significant strength in the advancement of state of art infrastructure in India; integrating the 36 States and Union Territories and helping them to synchronize their socio-economic development models. The enhanced approach towards infrastructure development has strengthened the overall economic fundamentals such as Growth of GDP, manufacturing processes, transportation systems and exports. The advancements in infrastructure development is boosting aggregate demand in the economy and new avenues for employment creation in the country. The initiative’s optimization of connectivity serves as a beacon, attracting foreign investments, elevating global competitiveness, and catalyzing overall economic growth.
At its core, PM GatiShakti is propelled by a visionary goal – the amalgamation of diverse Ministries and State Governments’ infrastructure schemes into a cohesive tapestry. This forward-thinking approach involves the assimilation of initiatives such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, and UDAN. Economic zones, ranging from textile clusters to pharmaceutical hubs, defence corridors, electronic parks, industrial corridors, fishing clusters, and agricultural zones, are strategically earmarked for a holistic boost in connectivity.
PM GatiShakti navigates unity
PM GatiShakti promotes cooperative federalism by advocating integrated infrastructure development at both the central and state levels. The institutional structure devised by the initiative has been replicated by 36 States and Union Territories (UTs). They utilize their respective Empowered Groups of Secretaries (EGoS), Network Planning Groups (NPG), and Technical Support Units (TSU) for synchronized project examination, planning, and implementation.
With the approach to infrastructure development, PM GatiShakti has implemented a ‘whole of the government’ strategy, bringing together 27 Central Government Ministries into a unified institutional framework. This ensures a seamless and efficient decision-making process, emphasizing streamlined coordination. To translate this ambitious initiative into action, PM GatiShakti has established an integrated multimodal Network Planning Group (NPG), featuring representation from eight infrastructure Ministries.
The institutional mechanism under PM GatiShakti has demonstrated its efficacy by identifying and evaluating High Impact Projects. The initiative’s success in the swift and meticulous evaluation projects underscores its commitment to driving holistic development across diverse sectors of the economy. PM GatiShakti’s innovative institutional framework stands as a testament to its dedication to ushering in a new era of transformative and inclusive infrastructure development in India.
PM GatiShakti paves the way for seamless logistics integration
A critical component of PM GatiShakti’s success lies in its commitment to ease of logistics across states. The Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) index, an indigenous data-driven tool, serves as a common platform for collaborative efforts between Central and State Governments. LEADS, conducted annually, focuses on categorizing states and UTs in the logistics ecosystem, collecting stakeholder feedback, and recommending action points to address challenges in the logistics value chain.
LEADS have played a pivotal role in increasing awareness among States and UTs regarding holistic logistics ecosystem development. By fostering continuous communication between state and central governments, the survey report assists PM GatiShakti in performing a network mapping of logistics infrastructure. This data-driven approach enables State Governments to identify gaps and achieve multimodal connectivity efficiently.
PM GatiShakti enhances technological advancement in Infrastructure development
The PM GatiShakti NMP (National Master Plan) stands out as a technology-backed infrastructure development platform. With GIS-based data layers encompassing infrastructure, geographic features, and demography, the initiative embraces various decision support systems. Developed by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), this platform facilitates integrated planning, synchronized implementation, and ongoing project monitoring. The technological backbone of the NMP aligns with six pillars, each contributing to the overarching goal of transformative infrastructure development:
1. Comprehensiveness: By consolidating all existing and planned initiatives of various Ministries and Departments into one centralized portal, critical data becomes accessible to each participating department. This comprehensive approach ensures visibility into the activities of other departments, fostering collaborative planning and execution.
2. Prioritization: PM GatiShakti enables different departments to prioritize projects through cross-sectoral interactions. This ensures that essential projects receive the attention they deserve, enhancing overall efficiency. Prioritization is crucial for projects like road connectivity to economic zones, where coordination between agencies like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and state industrial development bodies is vital.
3. Optimization: The National Master Plan assists different ministries in planning modifications, expansions, or new projects by identifying critical gaps. For instance, it can help optimize transportation routes for goods, reducing both time and cost. In the example of transporting coal from Jabalpur to Mundra Port, the plan can identify the most cost-effective and time-efficient combination of rail and road networks.
4. Synchronization: One of the persistent challenges in infrastructure development is the siloed approach of individual Ministries and Departments. PM GatiShakti addresses this by synchronizing activities across departments and layers of governance. An example is the coordinated development of roads in the North East Region, where different agencies are involved in various schemes. The plan ensures harmonized development for seamless connectivity.
5. Analytical: With GIS-based spatial planning and analytical tools featuring over 200 layers of data, the NMP provides a holistic view. This analytical capability aids decision-makers in better understanding the landscape, identifying potential roadblocks, and making informed choices. For instance, infrastructure contracts benefit from comprehensive information, reducing uncertainties and minimizing delays.
6. Dynamic: The NMP allows Ministries and Departments to visualize, review, and monitor the progress of cross-sectoral projects. The dynamic nature of the plan, facilitated by satellite imagery and regular updates, ensures that interventions can be identified and implemented promptly. This dynamic approach is crucial for adapting to evolving needs and ensuring the master plan remains relevant and effective.
PM GatiShakti transforms advancement in projects
PM GatiShakti has demonstrated its transformative impact on various projects across different sectors. The adequate planning of the projects is creating efficiency in the operations and implementation.
Improved Planning of Greenfield Projects: The Ministry of Railways, Transport, and Highways (MoRTH) has witnessed significant improvements in the planning of National Highway projects. By utilizing various data layers, including economic nodes and ecologically sensitive zones, key infrastructure projects have been optimized. For instance, Forest Area Interference optimization in the Pune–Bengaluru Expressway and improved connectivity in the Indo Nepal–Border–Haldia route showcase the positive outcomes of this enhanced planning.
Data-driven and Prioritized Capacity Augmentation: The Ministry of Railways has leveraged the PM GatiShakti NMP to plan 126 railway projects in a year. Decision-making tools available on the platform have expedited projects that were previously stalled. An illustrative example is the Taranga hill–Ambaji–Abu Road Broad Gauge New Railway line, where the availability of detailed data expedited project planning from months to just 7 days.
Analysis and Bridging of Critical Infrastructure Gaps: The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has utilized the NMP Platform extensively for planning key port connectivity projects. Notable examples include the planning of the International & Domestic Cruise Terminal, RoPax, Ferry, and allied facilities at the Mormugao Port. The NMP portal serves as a valuable tool for analyzing and addressing critical gaps in infrastructure.
The way forward Since its inception, PM GatiShakti has undertaken 112 projects of the whopping worth of Rs 11.53 lakh crores. PM GatiShakti has emerged as a transformative force reshaping India’s infrastructure landscape. By addressing critical issues in infrastructure development and promoting integrated planning, GatiShakti is poised to be the catalyst propelling India into an economic powerhouse. As projects unfold, the initiative is expected to stimulate economic growth to the next orbit by attracting foreign investments, creating employment opportunities, and enhancing the competitiveness of Indian businesses on the global stage. The comprehensive and technology-backed approach, coupled with a commitment to cooperative federalism, positions PM GatiShakti as a catalyst for ushering in a new era of prosperity and sustainable development in India.