Chennai - Tiruchy Expressway Plan Revised; May End at Tindivanam
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is revising its proposal for the Chennai–Tiruchy greenfield expressway to reduce land acquisition. Instead of a full new alignment till Tiruchy, the expressway may now be built only up to Tindivanam, with the existing GST Road widened from Tindivanam to Tiruchy.
The change follows directions from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways after the initial alignment showed a land requirement of nearly 3,000 hectares. To minimise acquisition, NHAI is considering upgrading the four-lane GST Road into a six-lane highway with service roads for the southern stretch.
Officials said the alignment will be finalised within two months. The ministry has also asked NHAI to avoid overlaps with the proposed Cheyyar - Oragadam industrial corridor. Meanwhile, rising traffic on GST Road - exceeding 1 lakh PCUs per day between Tambaram and Chengalpattu - has strengthened the case for capacity expansion.
The expressway is planned in phases, with future extensions towards Thoothukudi, subject to DPR findings, traffic demand, and alignment with the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan.
