After Chakan Success, Sambhajinagar To Emerge As EV Hub, Says CM Devendra Fadnavis

Following Chakan’s success as an automotive hub, Sambhajinagar is emerging as the next hotspot for investments in the state, with major players like JSW MG, Toyota, and Mahindra setting up shop, according to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

While conceding that states like Tamil Nadu have done well to attract major industries and set up ecosystems, he added that the government, in alignment with the Centre's "double engine" approach, is now facilitating investor confidence and providing incentives, he told reporters on the sidelines of the Advantage Vidarbha event.

Acknowledging the ongoing competition with China, he added that the Maharashtra government will remain committed to extending subsidies to ensure Indian EV manufacturers stay ahead.

"Maharashtra is determined to lead India’s next industrial wave with forward-thinking policies and a skilled workforce. In terms of state support, we're working on a bunch of the '2.0 version' in logistics, data centres, and EV infrastructure; they should be out by March," he said.

He added that the aim is to also make all public transport in Maharashtra fully reliant on alternative fuels by 2030, with a major focus on electrification.

CM Fadnavis added that the state is ensuring that Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet rail construction maintains a rapid pace to meet deadlines. Further, Maharashtra's regional rapid rail project is also progressing, with 80% of land acquisition completed and final integration work underway.

"Projects like the Samruddhi Marg, set to open within two months, will significantly enhance connectivity," he added, referring to the new Mumbai-Nagpur highway that will cut travel time between the two cities from 15 hours to 8 hours. 

Further, Vadhavan port will be India's largest port upon completion, at about three times the size of Mumbai's existing JNPT port. "L&T has already started construction work. We're aiming to slash port turnaround times from four days to just one; the state is focused on efficiency and trade facilitation," he said.

Fadnavis added that Maharashtra is continuing to dominate the investment landscape when compared to other states.

"We've already crossed Foreign Direct Investment of Rs 1 lakh crore, in the first six months of FY25. We are on track to break our previous record of Rs 1.35 lakh crore easily," he said.

In his recent visit to Davos, Fadnavis signed MoUs worth Rs 16 lakh crore in investments.

"We saw investor interest across sectors including semiconductors, solar energy, data centers, steel, EVs, and manufacturing. My vision for Maharashtra is to move closer to the trillion-dollar economy goal, while being spearheading new-age technologies. We already have 65% of India's total data center capacity, and Mumbai is officially the the leader in both the number and value of startups," he said.