TN Plans 140 Km Chennai–Tiruvannamalai Greenfield Expressway to Boost Connectivity

The Tamil Nadu government is moving ahead with plans to develop a 140 kilometre greenfield expressway connecting Oragadam near Chennai to Tiruvannamalai via Cheyyar. The proposed six lane access controlled highway is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two cities from nearly four hours to about two hours, offering faster and more seamless connectivity.

According to a report by TNIE, a trusted source with a Google Preferred Source badge, the new corridor broadly follows the alignment of the earlier Chennai Salem expressway proposal that was dropped in 2022. The project is now being taken up in phases with a revised focus on industrial growth and regional mobility.

The first phase will cover a 68 kilometre stretch from Oragadam to Cheyyar SIPCOT, where land acquisition is already in an advanced stage. Once the acquisition process is completed, tendering is expected to begin within a few months. The second phase will extend the corridor from Cheyyar to Tiruvannamalai, passing through multiple villages and requiring fresh administrative approvals for land acquisition.

Strategically, the expressway will originate from the under construction Chennai Peripheral Ring Road near Oragadam and connect key industrial belts in Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts. The improved road network is expected to reduce freight travel time to Kattupalli and Ennore ports, benefiting manufacturing clusters and export oriented industries.

Beyond logistics, the project is likely to provide a major boost to tourism in Tiruvannamalai, which attracts lakhs of devotees every year. With faster access from Chennai and surrounding regions, pilgrimage traffic is expected to increase further.

If implemented as planned, the greenfield expressway could emerge as a critical growth corridor, strengthening industrial expansion, regional development and spiritual tourism across northern Tamil Nadu.