Centre Clears ₹2,157-Cr Marakkanam–Puducherry 4-Lane Highway Project on HAM Mode

For the construction of a 4-lane Marakkanam-Puducherry stretch of 46 km on the East Coast Road between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved under the hybrid annuity mode (HAM). The stretch is part of the Chennai-Puducherry-Nagapattinam-Tuticorin-Kanyakumari Economic Corridor, and the project is being executed at a total estimated cost of Rs 2157 crore.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways placed the civil cost of the project at ₹1,118 crores, of which ₹442 crores is for land acquisition. The corridor will comprise a newly defined greenfield alignment, bypasses, and roads along with which to provide efficient traffic circulation and connectivity along the eastern coast of India.

Of the total 46 km, 34.7 km will be a new greenfield, access-controlled bypass for Puducherry, aimed at relieving congestion in the Union Territory. The stretch is designed for an estimated AADT of 17,800 Passenger Car Units (PCU) for FY25, underscoring the urgency of expanding capacity.

Currently, the interconnectivity between Chennai, Puducherry, Viluppuram, and Nagapattinam relies solely on the already existing two-lane national highway NH-332A and its adjoining state highways, which get highly clogged with densities of vehicular traffic, especially among densely packed towns and urban stretches. Efforts for constructing the new 4-lane project are expected to significantly reduce travel time on it, improve safety and greatly enhance the freight movement along the corridor.

The alignment will connect with the few major transport infrastructures by integrating two national highways, NH-32 and NH-332, and state highways, SH-136 and SH-203. It will also link with two railway stations-Puducherry and Chinnababusamudram-two airports-Chennai and Puducherry-and Cuddalore’s minor port-increasing multi-modal transport connectivity.

The Marakkanam-Puducherry stretch forms an important link in the proposed 1,760-km coastal economic corridor from Chennai to Kanyakumari. It has been said by officials that this project will see economic activities being unleashed, boost travel and improve efficiency in logistics in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Construction is expected to start soon after the completion of land acquisition and tendering, while the balance of public funding and private sector efficiency in execution is allowed under this model.