TNSHA floats tender for 43.4-km access-controlled highway under Chennai-Tiruvannamalai corridor

The Tamil Nadu State Highways Authority (TNSHA) has taken a major step towards strengthening the state’s industrial and logistics infrastructure by floating tenders for a 43.4-km four-lane access-controlled highway. The proposed stretch forms part of the extension of the Oragadam-Cheyyar industrial corridor and will also be integrated into the larger 140-km Chennai-Tiruvannamalai Expressway project.

The new greenfield highway will begin from the under-construction Chennai Peripheral Ring Road at Valayankaranai and extend up to Manampathy on the Kancheepuram-Vandavasi State Highway (SH-116). The road is expected to significantly improve freight connectivity between Chennai’s industrial belts and the upcoming SIPCOT expansion zones.

Planned with service roads on both sides, the project will be developed under the Public-Private Partnership model using the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). Under this structure, the government will fund 40 per cent of the project cost during construction, while the remaining 60 per cent will be borne by the concessionaire. The developer may recover the investment through toll revenue or annual government payments over a 10-year period.

The 43.4-km stretch has been divided into three construction packages: Valayankaranai to Pazhaveri (14.5 km), Pazhaveri to Pulivoy (13.4 km), and Pulivoy to Manampathy (15.5 km). This phased execution is expected to ensure faster implementation and better traffic management once operational.

The project assumes added significance as it is expected to support the proposed SIPCOT Phase III industrial park near Melma and surrounding villages, where over 3,175 acres have been identified for acquisition. With existing SIPCOT phases in the region already fully occupied, the new corridor is likely to play a critical role in boosting industrial growth, logistics efficiency, and real estate development across the Chennai and Tiruvannamalai belt.