New Delhi— The Centre has selected Ludhiana, Shimla, Jaipur, Indore, Patna, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, and Guwahati to prepare integrated state and city logistics plans. The initiative seeks to modernise India’s logistics ecosystem, improve operational efficiency, and create a globally competitive framework for freight and supply chain management.
Anchored by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the programme will identify gaps in existing infrastructure and propose a roadmap for reducing costs and enhancing efficiency. Once tested, the model will be replicated across the country to support smoother movement of goods, stronger supply chain resilience, and improved competitiveness.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is extending technical support under its multimodal and integrated logistics ecosystem programme. At the state level, the focus will be on connecting growth hubs with trunk routes, while city-level plans will optimise freight and last-mile delivery in sync with urban mobility goals.
The DPIIT underlined that inefficiencies at any single point in the supply chain can create systemic bottlenecks. Hence, the programme stresses collaboration between the Centre, state governments, and private stakeholders to align local priorities with national strategies.
Urban freight movement, peri-urban connectivity, congestion points, and restricted zones will be mapped under the exercise, supported by infrastructure upgrades such as improved city roads, truck terminals, and last-mile links.
Sustainability will be central, with emphasis on low- and zero-emission delivery vehicles, low-emission zones, and noise reduction measures. The initiative also promotes digitalisation through automation and data-driven decision-making.
