Highway push: Cabinet okays Rs 2,157 crore upgrade of Marakkanam–Puducherry route; project to ease travel and create 18 lakh jobs

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Friday approved the construction of a four-lane highway between Marakkanam and Puducherry in Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 2,157 crore, aiming to ease congestion and support the growing travel and trade demands in the region.The 46-km stretch of NH-332A will be built under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), according to a decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.Currently, connectivity between Chennai, Puducherry, Viluppuram and Nagapattinam depends on a two-lane configuration of NH-332A and nearby state highways, which face high congestion—especially in densely populated stretches and key towns. The project will upgrade the highway to four lanes, aiming to reduce bottlenecks, enhance safety, and serve the mobility needs of fast-expanding urban centres.The new alignment will integrate with two National Highways (NH-32 and NH-332) and two State Highways (SH-136 and SH-203), offering seamless links to major logistics, economic and social hubs across Tamil Nadu.The upgraded corridor will also support multi-modal connectivity by linking two railway stations (Puducherry and Chinnababusamudram), two airports (Chennai and Puducherry), and one minor port (Cuddalore).

Officials said this would significantly speed up passenger and freight movement in the region.Once operational, the highway is expected to spur regional economic growth by strengthening links between key religious and commercial centres, boosting tourism in Puducherry, and opening up new avenues for trade and industry.The construction is projected to generate about 8 lakh person-days of direct employment and 10 lakh person-days of indirect employment, the government said, adding that the project will “open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in surrounding regions.”