Chennai to Tirupati NH to get wider

CHENNAI: In a move that will significantly reduce the time taken to travel from Chennai to Mumbai and Tirupati by road, a 144-km stretch of the Chennai-Tirupati National Highway is set to be widened. This is part of the Chennai-Surat express highway project, which will run through Renigunta, Mahabubnagar, Akkalkot, Solapur and Nashik, and cut the distance between Chennai and Mumbai by at least 120-130 km. 

Official documents accessed by TNIE revealed the Chennai-Tirupati NH 205, from Tiruvallur to the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border, is set to be expanded from two lanes into a four-lane road. Additionally, the four-lane section from the TN-AP border to Tirupati will be upgraded to a six-lane road. The National Highways Authority of India is presently preparing the Detailed Project Report for the upgrade. 

“A DPR is being prepared for the upgrade, which will also involve construction of major and minor bridges,” an official said.

However, no decision has been taken on whether the NH will be upgraded to a fully or partially access-controlled expressway. For an access-controlled expressway, the highway will have to be fenced on either sides, excluding the service lane.

“Fencing is practically not possible from Padi to Thiruninravur. The road’s design is currently being finalised,” the official added.

The Chennai-Tirupati Highway, which commences at the Padi - Korattur junction, currently has four lanes for 22 km until Thiruninravur. This will be widened into six lanes by the state highways department. The works for widening the 17.5 km-Thiruninravur - Tiruvallur section is underway at a cost of `304 crore and is expected planned to be completed by next September, as per NHAI officials.

Last year, the state government allotted Rs 152 crore to acquire land in the Padi - Thiruninravur section, following which the state highways issued eviction notices to land owners.

“We have issued notices to all land owners. The land acquisition works are nearing completion,” said a state highways official.

According to NHAI sources, the 17.5 km-stretch of the Thiruninravur - Tiruvallur four-lane NH has a built-in provision for future expansion to six lanes without any need for additional land acquisition.

“Once completed, motorists from Chennai can bypass Tiruvallur town. The four lanes have also been linked to bypasses at Thozhur, Thaneerkulam, and Sevappet,” added the official.

To cut travel time between major cities, including Chennai and Mumbai, the union government had proposed to develop a 1271-km four/six-lane expressway from Surat to Chennai. The project is a combination of two greenfield and brownfield projects in Surat - Nashik - Ahmednagar - Solapur (513 km) and Solapur - Kurnool - Kadapa - Chennai (707 km).

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