Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced that his ministry has approved Rs 1,338 crore for an access-controlled highway project on NH-40, also known as Old Madras Road. This 28.1 km stretch will connect Walajapet/Ranipet to the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border.

The section between Walajahpet and Chittoor, though a four-lane road until Walajahpet from Chennai, remains a two-lane road. Gadkari confirmed that the new highway will feature a four-lane main carriageway with paved shoulders, and two-lane service roads on both sides. The project will also include a 10-km bypass around Walajapet/Ranipet, four major bridges, and two railway overbridges.

"This corridor will improve connectivity between Chennai and cities such as Bengaluru, Tirupati, and Vellore, which is home to the famous CMC-Vellore hospital. It will boost local industries like leather and small-scale engineering units that support BHEL. With a Special Economic Zone in Ranipet set to be completed in 2025, this project promises to drive economic growth while also improving local traffic flow with the addition of 2-lane service roads," Gadkari shared on social media.

The approval follows a delay in the tendering process for the widening of the Walajahpet/Ranipet-Chittoor section since September 2022. Initially, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) planned a six-lane highway for Rs 980 crore, but this plan was revised earlier this year. The project is now set to be developed as a four-lane access-controlled highway, with tenders invited in July 2024. "With the Union Ministry now sanctioning funds, the tender process will soon be finalised," NHAI sources confirmed.