The six-lane expansion of the 36.08 km stretch of the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway between Walajah and Karaipettai is anticipated to be finalized by September, as per NHAI officials. Currently, 33.25 km of the project has been completed, with the remaining work progressing as scheduled.
This initiative, which is projected to cost Rs 766.51 crore, commenced in 2018 but has encountered several delays. In contrast, the six-laning of the adjacent 34 km stretch from Sriperumbudur to Karaipettai, which includes 16 flyovers and bridges, is not expected to be finished until October 2026. The 18 km segment from Sriperumbudur to Karaipettai was awarded to a new contractor in January for Rs 411.16 crore.
The 70-km section of the NH accommodates approximately 75,000 passenger car units each day and contains 70 locations identified as accident-prone. Construction faced challenges due to shortages of soil and fly ash, in addition to disruptions caused by Covid-19. After extended delays, work resumed in 2021, only to be paused once more. Issues regarding the supply of fly ash from NTPC’s Vallur plant were addressed through auctions.
