₹2,157 Crore Highway Project Approved for Tamil Nadu

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the ₹2,157 crore Marakkanam–Puducherry four-lane highway project in Tamil Nadu.

The 46 km stretch along NH-332A will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) to ease congestion on the existing two-lane route connecting Chennai, Puducherry, Viluppuram, and Nagapattinam. The new highway will link with NH-32, NH-332, SH-136, and SH-203, enhancing connectivity to key economic, social, and logistics nodes.

The project will also improve access to Puducherry and Chinnababusamudram railway stations, the airports in Chennai and Puducherry, and the Cuddalore minor port, promoting integrated, multi-modal transport.

Aimed at improving road safety, easing traffic flow, and meeting the mobility demands of rapidly growing towns, the project is expected to spur regional economic growth, tourism, trade, and industrial development. It will generate approximately 8 lakh person-days of direct and 10 lakh person-days of indirect employment. Once completed, the highway will serve as a vital corridor connecting major religious and economic centres in Tamil Nadu.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.