Centre Approves ₹1,338 Crore for Access-Controlled Highway Project on NH-40.

The Centre has approved ₹1,338 crore for the development of an Access-Controlled Highway project on NH-40 in Tamil Nadu, extending 28 km from Walajapet/Ranipet to the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border.

The highway will feature a 4-lane main carriageway with paved shoulders and 2-lane service roads on both sides. Additionally, the project will include a 10-km bypass for Walajapet/Ranipet, four major bridges, and two railway over-bridges, as announced by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, on social media.

This corridor will significantly improve connectivity between Chennai and key cities such as Bengaluru, Tirupati, and Vellore, boosting local industries, including the leather sector and small-scale engineering units supporting BHEL. With the completion of a Special Economic Zone in Ranipet scheduled for 2025, the highway is expected to drive substantial economic growth while maintaining efficient local traffic flow with the inclusion of service roads.

HBL