Dharmapuri Outer Ring Road Project Revived: NHAI Seeks Approval for Detailed Report

The long-pending Outer Ring Road (ORR) project in Dharmapuri has regained momentum, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has forwarded a new proposal to the Tamil Nadu government for the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The project, once executed, will help relieve the traffic jams in and around the district headquarters substantially.

First mooted in 2021 by the state government, the ORR was planned to connect major arterial roads such as the Dharmapuri–Tirupattur road, Krishnagiri road, and Harur road. It would also intersect multiple state highways such as Morappur Road, Ettimatathupatti Road, and Mittareddihalli Road, offering an alternative route for vehicles to bypass the heavily populated town areas.

A government order had sanctioned ₹70 lakh for a feasibility study in 2021, but the plan stalled following a change in the state administration. Now, the NHAI has revived the project, submitting a fresh proposal to initiate the DPR process.

According to NHAI officials, the proposed 24-km ORR would run through Laligam, Venkatampatti, Annasagaram, and Rajapettai before connecting to Gundalpatti. This realignment is meant to redirect traffic away from Dharmapuri town, thus lessening the congestion on current roads.

“Dharmapuri today witnesses a daily traffic of close to 50,000 commercial vehicles and more than 1.5 lakh private vehicles,” according to a district administration officer. “The present roads are not capable of managing this quantum” The ORR will serve as a bypass, connecting major routes and easing internal traffic bottlenecks.”

An NHAI representative added, “We’ve conducted surveys to assess the viability and alignment of the ring road. The DPR proposal has been sent to the state government, and once approved, we will proceed with detailed planning and funding requests.”

If approved, the Outer Ring Road project is expected to offer a long-term solution to Dharmapuri’s mounting traffic woes and improve connectivity in northern Tamil Nadu.