Union Ministry Revises Deadlines for Tamil Nadu’s Major Highway Projects

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced rescheduled completion deadlines for several multi-crore highway projects in Tamil Nadu on account of delays in land acquisition, and statutory clearances, among others.

For instance, one of the prime projects is the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor a 21km, four-lane, double-tier structure that will be completed by February 2027 instead of May 2026. The ₹5,510 crore project, sanctioned in 2023, has made slow progress, with work advancing by only 1% to 3%. Delays have been linked to monsoon-related work stoppages following a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order and pending approvals from traffic authorities.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari shared these updates in response to Lok Sabha queries from MPs Durai Vaiko and D Malaiyarasan. Gadkari also highlighted that ₹33,085 crore had been allocated and spent on highway development and maintenance in Tamil Nadu over the past five years. However, Durai Vaiko expressed dissatisfaction, stating that either new projects were not being announced or ongoing ones were facing funding and execution delays.

Other key projects facing setbacks include the four-laning of the Mugaiyur-Marakkanam section, sanctioned in 2019 at ₹1,835 crore. Initially scheduled for completion earlier, the project has been pushed to next year due to land acquisition delays. The two packages of this project have recorded progress of 28% and 41%.

Similarly, the ₹17,000 crore Bengaluru-Chennai expressway project, sanctioned in 2020, is struggling due to multiple issues, including unseasonal rains, land compensation disputes, delays in utility shifting, and legal hurdles from the NGT and Supreme Court.

The Madurai Ring Road four-laning, which began in 2020, has achieved only 68% progress, hampered by forest clearance delays, contractor inefficiencies, excessive rainfall, and the pandemic’s impact. Meanwhile, the 46km Melur-Pilayarpatti-Karaikudi stretch (₹1,104 crore) is also progressing slowly due to similar issues.

One project set to move forward soon is the ₹905 crore Thoppur Ghat section improvement in Salem and Dharmapuri districts. The Union Environment Ministry approved forest land diversion in December 2024, with further permissions expected by February 15, 2025. The contractor’s appointment is likely to be confirmed by February 20.

These repeated delays highlight persistent challenges in executing large-scale infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu.