NHAI to prepare DPR for four-laning Thanjavur-Nagapattinam, Tiruchi-Karaikudi highways

NHAI to prepare DPRs for four-laning Thanjavur-Nagapattinam, Tiruchi-Karaikudi, and Dindigul-Theni-Kumuli national highways, improving connectivity and safety.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will soon draw up detailed project reports (DPRs) for the four-laning of the Thanjavur-Nagapattinam, the Tiruchi-Karaikudi, and the Dindigul-Theni-Kumuli national highways.

The NHAI has recently floated a tender inviting bids from consultants for preparation of the DPRs for the three projects. All the three NH sections were strengthened and developed as a two-lane highway with paved shoulders in recent years.

Strengthening of the Thanjavur-Nagapattinam NH section as a two-lane highway has been completed after a long delay. Widening the road, dotted with curves and criss-crossing watercourses, was vital to improving road safety and checking accidents. The project, initially sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹396 crore, dragged on for several years after the concessionaire abandoned it after executing it just for short distance. Subsequently, NHAI awarded a fresh contract to complete the balance works on 65.37-km at an estimated cost of ₹340.63 crore.

The strengthening of the road has helped significantly reduce the travel time between Thanjavur and Nagapattinam; the four-laning would further bring down the duration. A bypass road for Tiruvarur would also come up as part of the four-lane project on the section, NHAI sources said.

“The Thanjavur-Nagapattinam road development project was originally sanctioned as a four-lane project and even land acquisition was done for the same. But, unfortunately the project was subsequently revised to an extended two-lane road.” said S. Ravichandran, President, Tiruvarur Development Advisory Council, welcoming the NHAI move to prepare a DPR for the four-laning now. Since the land acquisition has been already done, there should not be any problem in executing the project quickly, he added.

The nearly 78-km long highway runs across the Cauvery delta region, connecting major tourist destinations such as Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Velankanni and Nagore, and attracts a huge volume of traffic round the year.

Similarly, the 82-km long Tiruchi-Karaikudi NH also caters to a large volume of traffic with over 10,000 passenger car units (PCU) a day on the Tiruchi-Pudukottai section. The highway is also part of a major tourism circuit in the State as it connects the central region with Rameswaram.