An industrial corridor is a package of infrastructure spending allocated to a specific geographical area, with the intent to stimulate industrial development.^[1]

An industrial corridor aims to create an area with a cluster of manufacturing or another industry. Such corridors are often created in areas that have pre-existing infrastructure, such as ports, highways and railroads.^[1] These modalities are arranged such that an "arterial" modality, such as a highway or railroad, receives "feeder" roads or railways. Concerns when creating corridors include correctly assessing demand and viability, transport options for goods and workers, land values, and economic incentives for companies.^[2]

Infrastructure corridors ^[3][4] generally deliver services such as communications, transport, energy, water, waste management. The development of infrastructure corridors is often a link between rural areas and urban growth. In the 21st century, industrial corridors are often viewed as opportunities for jobs and economic development in a region. Infrastructure can bring enhanced prospects to underdeveloped regions,^[5] longer-term economic growth, and international competition.

There are infrastructure corridors in both developing world countries such as South Africa and Brazil in addition to advanced countries such as the United States and Canada. The increased movement from rural areas to metropolitan areas will advance industrial corridors in population centers.^[6]

There are 11 National Industrial Corridors (NIC) and numerous state level industrial corridors. The NIC are as follows:^[9] Note, East Coast Economic Corridor is the name for the combination of Coastal India NICs.

1. Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC): with Delhi-Mumbai Expressway & Western Dedicated Freight Corridor as its backbone, is intended to increase economic efficiency in the region and increase international competition.^[10] It aims to create smart, sustainable industrial cities with high speed, high-capacity connectivity provided by the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor^[11] (DFC) to reduce logistic costs. The corridor will reduce the travel time for containers from 50 h, by the existing freight train, to 17 h by a proposed freight corridor and approximately 14 days by road to 14 hours by the proposed freight corridor. These corridors are expected to improve economic activities in the region and increase the national competitiveness overall. This project incorporates Nine Mega Industrial zones of about 200-250 sq. km., high speed freight line, three ports, and six airports, a six-lane intersection-free expressway connecting Mumbai & Delhi and a 4000 MW power plant.^[12] The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor ^[13] is a mega infrastructure project of USD 90 billion. Funds for the projects are from the Indian government, Japanese loans, investment by Japanese firms and through Japan depository receipts issued by Indian companies.^[14]
2. Delhi-Nagpur Industrial Corridor (DNIC)
3. Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC)
4. Chennai Bangalore (Bengluru) Industrial Corridor (CBIC)
5. Extension of CBIC to Kochi via Coimbatore
6. Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC)
7. Bengaluru-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC)
8. Odisha Economic Corridor (OEC)
9. Hyderabad Nagpur Industrial Corridor (HNIC)
10. Hyderabad Warangal Industrial Corridor (HWIC)
11. Hyderabad Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (HBIC)

Some of the state industrial corridors are:

• Gujarat:
  • Udhna-Palsana Industrial Corridor

• Haryana
  • Anupgarh-Hisar-Pithoragarh Industrial Corridor (AHPIC): via Anupgarh, Pipran, Nohar, Bhadra, Hisar, Madha (Narnaund), Gatoli (Julana), Butana (Gohana), Patti Kalyana (Samalkha), Chapprauli, Sardhana, Hastinapur, Noorpur, Kashipur, Bazpur, Haldwani, Khashu, Khetikhan, Lohaghat, Pithoragarh, with Kanra-Lwali-Kutoli-SidhiaKhet backup spur.
  • Bhatinda-Hisar-Alwar-Korba-Raigarh Industrial Corridor (BHAKRIC): via Bhatinda, Raman, Kalanwali, Sahuwala, Sirsa, Dhabi Kalan, Adampur, Balsamand, Chaudhariwas, Harita (with Harita-Kaimri-Hisar spur), Patodi, Kairu, Jui Khurd (with Bahal-Jui-Ateli spur), Badhra (with Koharu-Kadma-Kosli-Patli spur), Madhogarh, Nangal Sirohi (Mahendragarh), Bachhod (with Bachhod-Neemrana-Ateli-Uttawar-Kashipur-Sherpur-Tappal(Jewar) spur), Alwar, Sirmathura, Mohana, Karera, Pichhore, Lalitpur, Shahgarh, Katni, Korba, Raigarh.
  • Ludhiana-Hisar-Jaipur-Kota Industrial Corridor (LHJKIC)
  • Trans-Haryana Industrial Corridor (THIC)

• Uttar Pradesh
  • Delhi-Dehradun Industrial Corridor

Africa, having long been an underinvested continent is now home to some of the world’s fastest growing economies. The urban population is forecast to grow by over 60% by 2060. Africa was home to 17 percent of the world population in 2020, and is expected to have 26 percent of the global population in 2050. Likewise, Africa's demand for electricity will quadruple from 2010 to 2040.^[15]

Across Africa, regional development banks invested the most in development corridors (30.8%), with the African Development Bank funding the majority (24.3%) of all projects. Outside of Africa, the regional development banks that invested in the most projects are the Export-Import Bank of China (3.8%), the European Investment Bank (2.8%) and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (1.2% ea.). National governments funded about 29.8% of all projects. Development corridors^[16] can widen inequalities between stakeholders who are not party to the planning process but affected by it. The high financing costs for industrial corridors can also leave an unsustainable burden of debt, particularly for many of the African countries with high debt service costs.^[17]

Industrial zone development corridors can lead to^[16] significant biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation, pollution, spread invasive species, increase illegal logging, poaching and fires, severely affect river deltas and coastal and marine ecosystems, and consume large volumes of greenhouse gas intensive products such as steel and cement.

Challenges with planning and implementing, lack of clarity and consistency of national objectives and standards leads to industrial corridors varying in characteristics between countries and jurisdictions. Moreover, general challenges may include: mixed access to designations, complex and inflexible approval processes, need for robust and integrated decision-making,^[20][21] efficiency and adequacy of the land acquisition process, financing infrastructure development, and accurately forecasting usage (esp. infrastructure).

Additional challenges within a region can include regional instability and geopolitical shifts, isolation of corridor from existing economic activities, topographic challenges, lack of skilled labor, inconsistent quality of work, and high maintenance costs.^[22]

• Economic corridor
• Industrial park