NAGAPATTINAM: With the Nagapattinam-Sattanathapuram four-lane highway project remaining incomplete six years after work began, traders, farmers, fishers have urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to expedite the remaining works.
According to NHAI officials, the 55.76-km stretch, estimated at Rs 1,905 crore, forms the final leg of the 179.5-km Villupuram-Nagapattinam four-lane project on National Highway 45A, which is being built at a cost of around Rs 6,000 crore. Work on the Nagapattinam-Sattanathapuram section commenced in October 2020, while the other three stretches, Villupuram-Puducherry (29 km), Puducherry-Poondiyankuppam (38 km) and Poondiyankuppam-Sattanathapuram (56.8 km), began in 2022 and were completed during 2024-25. The Nagapattinam -Sattanathapuram stretch was to be completed in October 2022.
Sources in NHAI said about 86% of the work has been completed and the delay was due to land acquisition disputes and disruptions caused by COVID-19 lockdown. The deadline for the project has now been revised to December 2026.
The Consumer Protection and Passengers Association said the project could ease freight movement. "The four-lane road would improve connectivity to the Nagapattinam and Karaikal ports, facilitate trade, particularly fish exports, and reduce travel time by at least an hour," said Aravind Kumar, an office bearer.
Farmers said the road would minimise post-harvest losses, reduce transportation costs and provide better access to larger markets. "The highway will help farmers transport their produce faster and more efficiently, improving market access and returns," said S.R. Tamilselvan of the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association.
Fishermen also called for the early completion of the project, saying it would strengthen the district's fisheries economy by enabling faster transportation of fish to markets and ports. "The highway will improve the movement of fish to other districts and ports, reducing transit time. Delays caused by traffic often affect the freshness of the catch, forcing traders to sell at lower prices or incur losses," said RMP Rajendra Nattar, president of the Indian National Fishermen Union.
