Cabinet Clears Rs 2,157 Crore Four-Lane Highway Project Linking Marakkanam and Puducherry

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a four-lane highway between Marakkanam in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The 46-kilometre stretch on National Highway 332A will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode at an estimated cost of Rs 2,157 crore.

The new alignment will link up with major transport arteries — National Highways 32 and 332, as well as State Highways 136 and 203 — creating seamless connectivity to economic hubs and logistics centres in Tamil Nadu, according to the road transport ministry.

It will also improve access to two airports (Chennai and Puducherry), two railway stations (Puducherry and Chinnababusamudram), and the Cuddalore minor port, strengthening multi-modal transport options.

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It is pertinent to note that the existing route between Chennai, Puducherry, Viluppuram, and Nagapattinam currently relies on a two-lane NH-332A and adjoining state highways.

The ministry claims the project will serve as a vital link for religious and economic centres, spur tourism to Puducherry, and open up fresh trade and industrial opportunities.

Construction is expected to generate around eight lakh person-days of direct and ten lakh person-days of indirect employment, providing a further boost to the local economy.

With traffic volumes rising sharply, especially through busy towns along the corridor, the stretch has been facing regular congestion. Upgrading the section to four lanes is expected to ease traffic bottlenecks, enhance road safety, and meet the mobility needs of the region’s growing population, claimed the road transport minister.