The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved rehabilitation and upgrading of the Ghoti–Trimbak (Mokhada)–Jawhar–Manor–Palghar section of National Highway 160A (NH-160A) in Maharashtra under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. The project covers 154.635 km and has a total capital cost of Rs.33,203.8 million (mn). Approval follows assessment of current and projected traffic and aims to provide an alternative route for freight from the industrial cluster west of Nashik. Works will include two-laning or four-laning with paved shoulders as required.

The region around Ambad and Satpur hosts a dense concentration of industrial units that generate heavy freight flows currently routed through Nashik via National Highway 848, increasing urban congestion and pressure on corridors. Key approaches record NH-848 at 50,000–60,000 PCUs per day and NH-60 at 40,000–50,000 PCUs per day, while projected corridor traffic is expected to exceed 10,000 PCUs from 2028. The upgrade will divert freight away from urban roads and improve corridor capacity.

The section from Trimbak to Manor and Palghar will link with the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and NH-48 and serve the western coastal belt and tribal areas of Palghar district. Annual average daily traffic in fiscal year 2025 is about 6,700 PCUs on Ghoti–Trimbak, 4,323 PCUs on Trimbak–Manor and 12,455 PCUs on Manor–Palghar. Lower volume stretches will be developed as two-lane with paved shoulders while urban sections will be upgraded to four lanes.

The project follows PM GatiShakti principles and will connect six PM Gati Shakti economic nodes, one social node and eight logistics nodes, linking three major railway stations, three airports and two ports. Employment potential is about one point nine nine eight mn direct and two point four eight six mn indirect person-days, and the scheme is expected to reduce travel time and vehicle operating cost while strengthening infrastructure in tribal areas. Total civil cost is Rs.25,944.9 mn and land acquisition cost is Rs.7,258.9 mn.