The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority (ITLA), a new apex body aimed at strengthening integrated planning, research, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment across India’s transport and logistics sectors.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the authority will serve as the country’s nodal institution for coordinated transport and logistics planning.
He noted that India’s economy has been growing at around 7-8 per cent, leading to a steady rise in demand for efficient logistics and transportation infrastructure. To meet this growing requirement, the government is expanding highways, railway networks, waterways, airports and ports across the country.
According to the government, ITLA will play a key role in ensuring that future transport infrastructure development is planned in a coordinated and integrated manner.
The authority will prepare a comprehensive National Transport Master Plan with a planning horizon of ten years or more, covering all major modes of transportation, including roads, railways, ports and shipping, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility and logistics.
As India’s transport and logistics network continues to expand, ITLA will support long-term integrated planning and carry out post-implementation impact assessments of major infrastructure projects. The authority is also expected to complement existing initiatives such as the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and the National Logistics Policy.
Its responsibilities will span a wide range of functions, including integrated transport planning, project appraisal, monitoring, data analytics, logistics policy formulation, capacity building and sector-specific research.
The authority will also monitor transport and infrastructure projects involving investments of more than ₹500 crore and provide a coordinated mechanism for resolving implementation-related issues.
In addition, ITLA will promote research, innovation and evidence-based policymaking in the transport and logistics sectors, helping improve efficiency, connectivity and multimodal integration across the country.
The government expects the creation of ITLA to enhance coordination among various transport ministries and agencies, streamline infrastructure development, and support India’s long-term economic growth by improving logistics efficiency.
