Why Is Chennai-Bengaluru Highway Widening Delayed In Sriperumbudur-Walajahpet Stretch?

The project to convert the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway into a six-lane road has encountered substantial delays, disrupting plans to enhance one of the region's major transport corridors.

It is now being reported that the works on the Sriperumbudur-Walajahpet stretch has been stopped.

The project, which began in 2019, involves widening a 70-kilometer stretch of the NH-4 from Sriperumbudur to Walajahpet. This undertaking is divided into two segments: 34 kilometers from Sriperumbudur to Karaipettai, and 36 kilometers from Karaipettai to Walajahpet.

Originally slated for completion in 2021, progress on the road widening has been far from on schedule. The Karaipettai to Walajahpet stretch has reached nearly 75 percent of physical progress and is now expected to be completed by March 2025. In contrast, the Sriperumbudur to Karaipettai section lags behind with only 57 percent of physical progress achieved.

The New Roadblock

A significant roadblock has been the refusal of thermal power plants, both state-owned and central utilities, to supply fly ash free of cost-a critical material for road construction. This shortage has halted work on the project, leading to a standstill. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that the current contract for the Sriperumbudur-Karaipettai section, valued at Rs 819 crore, will be terminated, and new tenders will be issued within the next two to three months.

The issue is compounded by a notification from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which mandates that thermal power plants provide fly ash at no cost for road and embankment construction. Despite this directive, compliance has been inadequate, further impeding progress.

The project's delays are also reflected in changes to toll fees. In December 2020, the Madras High Court ordered a 50 percent reduction in toll fees at the Sriperumbudur and Walajahpet toll plazas due to poor road maintenance. Also, the NHAI exempted two toll plazas from annual fee increases in 2020 and 2021 as a concession to road users.

As the project struggles to overcome these challenges, the completion of the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway widening remains uncertain, impacting both commuters and the broader infrastructure development goals of the region.

Meanwhile, PMK founder S Ramadoss urged the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the state government to take steps to complete highway expansion between Wallajahpet and Sriperumbudur.