The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), presided over by the Prime Minister, has sanctioned the Rs 2,157 crore Marakkanam–Puducherry four-lane highway initiative in Tamil Nadu.
Stretching 46 km along NH-332A, this project will be implemented under the hybrid annuity mode (HAM) to alleviate congestion on the current two-lane road that connects Chennai, Puducherry, Viluppuram, and Nagapattinam.
The enhanced highway will link with NH-32, NH-332, SH-136, and SH-203, providing seamless access to vital economic, social, and logistics centres. Additionally, it will connect with the Puducherry and Chinnababusamudram railway stations, as well as the airports in Chennai and Puducherry, and the Cuddalore minor port, thereby improving multi-modal transport efficiency. This initiative is designed to enhance safety, reduce traffic congestion, and cater to the mobility requirements of expanding towns.
The project is anticipated to stimulate regional economic development, tourism, trade, and industrial growth while creating approximately eight lakh person-days of direct employment and 10 lakh person-days of indirect employment. Upon its completion, the highway will function as a significant corridor linking major religious and economic hubs in Tamil Nadu.
