NEW DELHI, OCT 6: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the creation of the Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA) as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV, a dedicated institutional entity), marking a major step towards replacing fragmented transport planning with an integrated, data-driven framework covering roads, railways, ports, aviation, waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility and logistics.
The proposed authority is aimed at addressing a long-standing structural challenge in India’s infrastructure development—sector-wise planning and execution by multiple ministries and agencies with limited integration. The government expects ITLA to strengthen coordination, promote multimodal connectivity and improve the efficiency, sustainability and overall impact of major transport infrastructure investments.
The authority will function as the national apex institution for integrated transport and logistics planning, with responsibilities spanning research, project appraisal, policy support, monitoring, impact assessment and data analytics.
A key mandate of ITLA will be preparation of a National Transport Master Plan with a planning horizon of 10 years or more. The plan will bring multiple modes of transportation within a common strategic framework, enabling infrastructure development to be planned around connectivity and logistics requirements rather than individual sectors.
ITLA will also examine short-term, approximately five-year, sectoral plans and annual plans of transport ministries to ensure that they remain aligned with the broader National Transport Master Plan and support coordinated multimodal infrastructure development.
Under the new framework, ITLA will undertake technical appraisal of Government of India infrastructure projects costing ₹500 crore or more. Financial appraisal, however, will continue through the existing financial appraisal mechanisms.
The authority will also monitor implementation of transport and infrastructure projects above the ₹500-crore threshold and provide a coordinated mechanism for resolving inter-sectoral and implementation-related issues. After completion, ITLA will undertake post-implementation impact assessments to evaluate whether major projects have delivered their intended economic and infrastructure outcomes.
One of the most significant components of the initiative will be creation of a National Transport Data Repository (NTDR), bringing together transport and logistics datasets currently distributed across multiple platforms and agencies.
The repository is expected to draw relevant data from sources including GSTN e-way bills, FASTag, VAHAN, GPS-based systems and urban traffic management systems, among others. Advanced data analytics, including freight-flow and origin-destination (O-D) analysis, will be used to support infrastructure planning, project monitoring and impact assessment.
The move is expected to give policymakers a more comprehensive picture of freight movement, traffic patterns, infrastructure utilisation and emerging logistics requirements, thereby enabling more evidence-based investment decisions.
ITLA will also advise and assist in the review and updation of the National Logistics Policy, 2022, while supporting capacity building, training and skill development across the logistics sector.
The authority will further promote research, innovation and adoption of international best practices in transportation and logistics, strengthening institutional capabilities in areas such as big-data integration, infrastructure planning, project evaluation and performance monitoring.
The government has positioned the creation of ITLA as an important institutional reform aligned with India’s Vision 2047, with the broader objective of creating a more connected, efficient and globally competitive transport and logistics ecosystem.
By bringing long-term planning, multimodal integration, technical appraisal, real-time data analysis, project monitoring and post-project evaluation under a coordinated institutional framework, ITLA is expected to help improve infrastructure utilisation, reduce logistics costs, strengthen connectivity and enhance India’s competitiveness in global supply chains.
The initiative represents a shift from isolated sectoral infrastructure planning towards a unified national transport strategy, with greater emphasis on coordination, measurable outcomes and data-led decision-making.
