Faster, safer travel on cards as Modi launches 4-laning of Chennai-Tirupati NH
The project is aimed to alleviate the difficulties being faced by road users due to steep gradients in the ghat section
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually laid the foundation stone for five National Highways projects and inaugurated three works costing Rs 3,260 crore located in various places in the state. Among the projects for which the foundation stone was laid includes improving the alignment of the Thoppur ghat section in the Dharmapuri - Salem section of National Highway 44.
The project is aimed to alleviate the difficulties being faced by road users due to steep gradients in the ghat section. The project envisages the construction of an elevated highway and improving the existing alignment at a total cost of Rs 905 crore to facilitate safe travel through the ghat area.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would also take up four-laning of the existing two-lane stretches from Tiruvallur to the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border section for a length of 44 km at Rs 1,376 crore. “This will facilitate faster and safer travel from Chennai to Tirupati, especially for the pilgrims,” an official release said.
The Prime Minister also launched other projects like widening to four-lane with paved shoulders of selected stretches of 48 km in the Coimbatore-Chidambaram section of NH-81 at an expense of Rs 275 crore, selected stretches of 43 km of Cuddalore-Virudhachalam road along with construction of an additional bridge at km 39/8 of NH-532 (Cuddalore Virudhachalam road), and constructing the four-km long Achambattu bypass on NH-85 at Rs 260 crore.
He also inaugurated selected stretches of the Coimbatore-Mettupalayam section of NH-181 for a length of 10 km, which were strengthened at a cost of Rs 23 crore, high-level bridge across the Thenpennai river in Puducherry- Nagapattinam section of the NH-32 constructed at Rs 27 crore, flyover at Periyanaickenpalayam junction, Coimbatore. constructed at Rs 99 crore.
All these projects will help to improve the road connectivity in the State and benefit the road users by way of safer and speedier travel and also boost industrial, agricultural and tourism activities, the official release added.