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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 7:24:18 pm

Panvel: MMR’s next economic hub

Panvel is now emerging as a multi-modal gateway linking Mumbai’s commercial economy with Navi Mumbai’s airport, JNPA’s port ecosystem and Raigad’s industrial belt Mumbai: For centuries, Panvel’s importance came from its location. The town grew around land and sea trade routes and was historically known for its rice market. Today, that same locational advantage is being recast in a dramatically different economic landscape — one shaped by an international airport, a major container port,...

Panvel: MMR’s next economic hub

Panvel is now emerging as a multi-modal gateway linking Mumbai’s commercial economy with Navi Mumbai’s airport, JNPA’s port ecosystem and Raigad’s industrial belt Mumbai: For centuries, Panvel’s importance came from its location. The town grew around land and sea trade routes and was historically known for its rice market. Today, that same locational advantage is being recast in a dramatically different economic landscape — one shaped by an international airport, a major container port, expressways, freight corridors, railways and expanding urban infrastructure. Panvel is consequently moving from being a transit point between Mumbai, Pune and the Konkan to becoming a destination in its own right. “Panvel can no longer be viewed merely as a residential extension of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. It is fast becoming a commercial and economic destination in its own right,” said Prashant Thakur, MLA, Panvel Assembly Constituency. The transformation is not entirely new. Panvel is around 300 years old and its evolution was closely linked to trade and transportation. Its commercial DNA, therefore, predates the development of Navi Mumbai by several decades. What has changed is the scale and quality of connectivity around it. The development of Navi Mumbai from the 1970s brought planned nodes such as New Panvel, Kharghar, Kamothe, Kalamboli and Taloja into a rapidly urbanising landscape. The creation of the Panvel Municipal Corporation in 2016 further expanded the administrative footprint, bringing the old town and several rapidly developing areas within one municipal framework. That expansion is now meeting an unprecedented infrastructure build-out. Panvel’s Geography Panvel’s strongest advantage is not any single project but the convergence of several major transport systems. The Mumbai–Pune Expressway and Sion–Panvel corridor connect it with Mumbai and Pune, while the Mumbai–Goa highway provides access towards the Konkan. Close by are JNPA, the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the wider Navi Mumbai urban economy. Then came the 21.8-km Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri–Nhava Sheva Atal Setu. Opened to traffic in January 2024, the bridge has strengthened the physical and economic connection between Mumbai and the Navi Mumbai–Panvel–Raigad region. For Panvel, its significance extends beyond shorter travel times. It has expanded the geography within which companies can locate offices, warehouses, hotels and support businesses. “The coming decade can establish Panvel and its surrounding region as one of India’s most dynamic economic growth centres,” said Thakur. “An international airport, a world-class port ecosystem, highways, railways, Metro connectivity and Atal Setu are creating an economic ecosystem of enormous potential.” The Navi Mumbai International Airport has added another dimension to this transformation. With commercial operations commencing in December 2025 and international connectivity subsequently being added, the airport corridor has moved from being a long-term infrastructure proposition to an operating economic ecosystem. For Panvel, the airport effect could extend well beyond residential real estate. An international airport generates demand for business hotels, corporate offices, aviation-linked services, logistics, retail, hospitality, healthcare and other ancillary businesses. The emerging airport corridor is already changing the development narrative across Panvel, Ulwe, Kharghar, Taloja, Karanjade, New Panvel and Dronagiri. Perhaps the most distinctive element of Panvel’s economic proposition is its proximity to two major gateways — JNPA and NMIA. JNPA is integrated into the national freight network and is supported by road and rail connectivity, including the Dedicated Freight Corridor. The wider port ecosystem is also being strengthened through improved road links and connectivity towards Panvel and the airport. This gives the region a natural advantage in logistics, warehousing and supply-chain activity. The opportunity extends into the wider Raigad industrial belt, including Taloja, Patalganga, Roha and surrounding manufacturing clusters. For chemical and manufacturing companies, Panvel can potentially serve as a commercial and logistics gateway. Proximity to JNPA can facilitate the movement of imported raw materials, equipment and chemical feedstock, while road and freight connectivity can support distribution to domestic markets. The future opportunity could also extend beyond bulk chemicals to specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, advanced materials, chemical equipment and downstream manufacturing. NMIA adds another layer by improving access for high-value and time-sensitive products, corporate executives, technical specialists and international business. However, such growth would require planned industrial infrastructure — including common utilities, effluent treatment, hazardous-material handling, waste management, water recycling and emergency-response systems. Commercial Model Mumbai’s traditional commercial districts face constraints of land availability, high real-estate costs and congestion. Panvel, by contrast, can offer larger land parcels and the possibility of integrated development around multiple transport modes. This opens the door to a different commercial model — large office campuses, mixed-use developments, business parks, hotels, logistics facilities, institutional campuses and specialised industrial offices. Healthcare and education could become equally important components of this ecosystem. Thakur said the development of Medicity and Educity, along with emerging concepts such as Innovation City and Third Mumbai, could further alter the economic geography of the Panvel–Pen region. “Kharghar is also emerging as an important commercial destination, with plans for a new business centre. All these developments point towards one clear conclusion: Panvel is not merely a residential growth corridor; it is becoming a commercial and economic destination,” he said. Jobs Drive Inclusion The real test of Panvel’s transformation, however, will be the employment ecosystem it creates. The airport, logistics sector, IT and digital services, healthcare, hospitality, construction, engineering, financial services and emerging industries can generate opportunities across a broad range of skill levels. “Our youth must be the biggest beneficiaries of this transformation,” said Thakur. “I want the young people of Panvel not merely to witness this transformation, but to participate in it, benefit from it and eventually lead it.” That would require greater emphasis on technical education, industry-oriented training, skill development and employability programmes. An emerging education ecosystem could also create opportunities for specialised disciplines such as chemical engineering, biotechnology, materials science, aviation services and industrial research. The challenge is to build infrastructure ahead of demand. The scale of the opportunity also brings a significant planning challenge. As commercial activity and population increase, Panvel will need adequate water supply, electricity, roads, public transport, sewage systems, waste management, healthcare, education and other civic infrastructure. Rapid urbanisation without corresponding infrastructure capacity could undermine some of the advantages that are currently attracting investment. “Growth must be supported by quality infrastructure,” Thakur said. “Infrastructure capacity must grow ahead of demand rather than struggle to catch up with it.” The proposed Panvel Development Plan for 2024–2044 assumes a much larger urban footprint and seeks to provide a longer-term framework for managing growth. The challenge will be to ensure that infrastructure planning keeps pace with the speed at which private and public investment is reshaping the region. Panvel’s transformation is therefore not simply another real-estate story. Its significance lies in the convergence of its past and future: a centuries-old trading town is now located at the intersection of an international airport, one of India’s major container ports, national highways, the Mumbai–Pune economic corridor, freight infrastructure, suburban rail and metropolitan expansion. Economic Centre Mumbai has traditionally been the economic centre, while Navi Mumbai was developed as its planned counterpoint. Panvel is now emerging as the bridge between that established metropolitan economy and the next growth geography stretching towards Raigad. “Panvel is changing. Panvel is connecting. Panvel is creating opportunities. And Panvel is now emerging as a new commercial address on the global map,” said Thakur. The real shift is from transit to destination. If infrastructure investment is matched by integrated planning, employment generation, social amenities and sustainable industrial development, Panvel could evolve into something more significant than a residential extension of Mumbai or Navi Mumbai: a multi-modal commercial and socio-economic hub serving the entire MMR–Raigad corridor.

The Architects of Modern India: Five Leaders Redefining Infrastructure Beyond Concrete

Correspondent
Jul 5
3 min read

For decades, India's infrastructure story was measured in kilometres of highways, megawatts of power generation, ports, airports and industrial corridors. Today, that definition is evolving. Infrastructure is no longer limited to physical assets; it increasingly includes digital platforms, AI-ready data centres, renewable energy networks and smart urban ecosystems that power economic growth.


This transformation is being shaped by a new generation of business leaders who view infrastructure as an interconnected system rather than standalone projects. While their strategies differ, they share a common objective: building resilient, technology-enabled platforms that will support India's long-term development. From artificial intelligence and digital engineering to integrated logistics, transmission networks and commercial ecosystems, these leaders are redefining what nation-building looks like in the twenty-first century.


SN Subrahmanyan (Larsen & Toubro)

Among India's infrastructure leaders, L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan represents the convergence of engineering excellence and digital transformation. Having joined Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as a project planning engineer in 1984, he spent four decades leading some of the company's most complex infrastructure projects before becoming Chairman and Managing Director in 2023. That progression from engineer to business leader has shaped his belief that infrastructure must continually evolve to meet the needs of a changing economy.


Guided by that philosophy, SN Subrahmanyan is steering L&T beyond its traditional engineering and EPC strengths through its Lakshya 2031 strategy, with investments in AI infrastructure, digital engineering, data centres and clean energy. The company's collaboration with NVIDIA to develop sovereign AI infrastructure reflects his view that the next phase of India's growth will depend as much on digital infrastructure as on physical assets. His leadership demonstrates how established engineering companies can embrace emerging technologies while preserving their execution-first culture.


Gautam Adani (Adani Group)

For Gautam Adani, infrastructure is most valuable when assets function as an integrated ecosystem. Rather than building isolated businesses, the Adani Group connects ports, logistics parks, airports, renewable energy projects and transmission networks into a unified platform that strengthens trade and industrial growth.


The next phase of this strategy is increasingly digital. Automation, data-driven operations and intelligent logistics are improving efficiency across the group's infrastructure assets, while large-scale renewable energy investments continue to support India's energy transition. Adani's approach highlights how infrastructure leadership is shifting from owning individual assets to creating connected systems that generate long-term economic value.


Vinayak Pai (Tata Projects)

As Managing Director of Tata Projects, Vinayak Pai has championed the use of digital engineering to improve infrastructure execution. His focus is on planning projects more intelligently rather than simply delivering them faster.


Technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), integrated project controls and digital collaboration help identify design conflicts before construction begins, reducing delays and improving coordination. Their application across projects, including the new Parliament building and Noida International Airport, demonstrates how engineering precision increasingly depends on digital capabilities. Pai's leadership reflects a growing industry belief that successful infrastructure starts long before work begins on site.


Vimal Kejriwal (KEC International)

Few infrastructure sectors are as strategically important—or as overlooked—as power transmission. Under Vimal Kejriwal, KEC International continues to expand the networks that connect renewable energy generation with industries, cities and communities.


As India accelerates its clean-energy ambitions, resilient transmission infrastructure is becoming essential to ensuring reliable electricity reaches end users. KEC's work across transmission, railway electrification and civil infrastructure in more than 110 countries reflects the importance of building the systems that support economic activity behind the scenes. Kejriwal's leadership underscores the critical role of energy connectivity in India's infrastructure future.


Rajiv Singh (DLF Limited)

For Rajiv Singh, commercial real estate has evolved into economic infrastructure. Rather than developing standalone office buildings, DLF has focused on creating integrated urban destinations that combine workplaces, hospitality, retail, residential communities and public spaces.


Developments such as DLF Cyber City have helped transform Gurugram into one of India's leading business hubs, supporting multinational companies and thousands of knowledge-economy jobs. As businesses increasingly prioritise sustainability, digital connectivity and employee experience, integrated commercial districts are becoming long-term economic assets. Singh's approach illustrates how cities themselves have become critical infrastructure for India's services-led economy.


Infrastructure's Next Definition

These five leadership models reflect a broader transformation in India's development story. SN Subrahmanyan demonstrates how engineering companies are extending into AI and digital infrastructure. Gautam Adani shows the value of integrated infrastructure ecosystems. Vinayak Pai highlights the growing role of digital engineering in project execution. Vimal Kejriwal reminds us that transmission networks are fundamental to the clean-energy transition, while Rajiv Singh illustrates how commercial districts have become engines of economic growth.


The next era of infrastructure will not be defined solely by the scale of assets built, but by how effectively physical infrastructure, digital intelligence and long-term institutional capability work together. That convergence is shaping a more connected, resilient and technology-driven India.

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