Cabinet Clears ₹2,157-Crore Marakkanam–Puducherry Four-Lane Highway Project

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a four-lane Marakkanam–Puducherry section of National Highway 332A in Tamil Nadu. The 46 km project will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at an estimated cost of ₹2,157 crore.

The initiative aims to upgrade the existing two-lane NH-332A and connecting State Highways, which currently face heavy congestion due to rising traffic volumes, particularly through densely populated stretches and major towns along the route. The new four-lane corridor will decongest traffic, improve road safety, and cater to the growing mobility needs of Chennai, Puducherry, Villupuram, and Nagapattinam.

Strategically designed, the alignment will integrate with two major National Highways (NH-32, NH-332) and two State Highways (SH-136, SH-203), providing seamless connectivity to key economic, social, and logistics hubs in Tamil Nadu. It will also enhance multi-modal integration, linking two railway stations (Puducherry, Chinnababusamudram), two airports (Chennai, Puducherry), and the Cuddalore minor port, thereby ensuring faster movement of goods and passengers.

Once completed, the Marakkanam–Puducherry stretch is expected to play a crucial role in regional economic growth by strengthening links between major religious and commercial centres, boosting tourism to Puducherry, and unlocking new opportunities for trade and industrial development.

The project is also poised to create significant employment, generating around 8 lakh person-days of direct work and 10 lakh person-days indirectly. Officials said it will not only improve connectivity but also pave the way for sustained growth, development, and prosperity in the surrounding regions.