Delhi, 8 August (H.S.): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a 46 km four-lane highway between Marakkanam and Puducherry in Tamil Nadu. The project, to be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), will cost ₹2,157 crore.

Currently dependent on the congested two-lane NH-332A and nearby state highways, the new stretch aims to ease traffic, improve road safety, and support growing travel demand along the Chennai–Puducherry–Nagapattinam corridor. The upgraded highway will connect seamlessly with key transport nodes—National Highways NH-32 and NH-332, State Highways SH-136 and SH-203, Puducherry and Chinnababusamudram railway stations, and airports in Chennai and Puducherry.

It will also connect major economic clusters like a Mega Food Park, Pharma and Fishing Clusters, while enhancing tourism and trade development in the region. The project is expected to generate 8 lakh person-days of direct employment and 10 lakh person-days indirectly, supporting regional economic growth and development.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar