New SPV to serve as apex institution for transport and logistics research, project appraisal, monitoring and data analytics; will prepare 10-year-plus National Transport Master Plan
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the establishment of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), the Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA), to strengthen research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment across the broad domains of transportation and logistics.
The initiative seeks to address long-standing challenges arising from fragmented planning and implementation across multiple transport-related Ministries and agencies. By promoting greater coordination and multimodal integration, the ITLA is expected to improve the efficiency, sustainability and effectiveness of transport infrastructure development across the country.
ITLA to function as national apex institution
The ITLA will serve as the national apex institution for integrated transport and logistics planning, research, project appraisal and monitoring, policy support and data analytics.
A key responsibility of the authority will be preparation of a comprehensive National Transport Master Plan with a planning horizon of 10 years or more. The plan will cover roads, railways, ports and shipping, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility and logistics.
The ITLA will also evaluate short-term sectoral plans, generally covering around five years, as well as annual plans of transport Ministries. This will help ensure that sectoral plans remain aligned with the National Transport Master Plan and support the development of integrated multimodal infrastructure.
Technical appraisal of projects worth ₹500 crore and above
The new authority will undertake technical appraisal of Government of India infrastructure projects costing ₹500 crore or more. Financial appraisal of such projects will continue to be undertaken through the existing financial appraisal mechanisms.
The ITLA will also monitor the implementation of transport and infrastructure projects above the ₹500-crore threshold and provide a coordinated mechanism for resolving implementation-related issues.
In addition, it will undertake post-implementation impact assessment of these projects to evaluate their outcomes and effectiveness.
Unified National Transport Data Repository
One of the key components of the initiative will be the creation of a National Transport Data Repository (NTDR).
The ITLA will build a unified transport and logistics data repository by bringing together relevant datasets from multiple sources, including GSTN e-way bill data, FASTag, Vahan, GPS-based systems, urban traffic management systems and other relevant databases.
The authority will undertake advanced data analytics, including freight-flow and origin-destination (O-D) analysis, to support transport planning, project monitoring and impact assessment.
Support for National Logistics Policy and innovation
The ITLA will also advise and assist in the review and updating of the National Logistics Policy, 2022.
Its responsibilities will further include capacity building, training and skilling in the logistics sector, along with promoting research and innovation in transportation and logistics.
Supporting India’s Vision 2047
The establishment of the ITLA is expected to play a significant role in advancing India’s Vision 2047 by strengthening multimodal connectivity, improving infrastructure efficiency, reducing logistics costs and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness in logistics.
The authority will also help build institutional capacity in areas including research, long-term planning, big-data integration, project monitoring and evaluation, while supporting capacity building and the adoption of international best practices in the transport and logistics sectors.