Villupuram – Nagapattinam stretch of ECR likely to be completed by October

Work to widen the East Coast Road (ECR) running from Villupuram to Nagapattinam is expected to be completed by October 2025. The four-lane-wide road — NH 32 (NH – 45A) — with a median and service lanes, and taken up as part of the Bharatmala Pariyojana Scheme, is mostly complete up to Sattanathapuram with both local motorists and long-distance travellers using it.   

R. M. Swethakumar, a native of Chidambaram and one who often travels to Puducherry and Kumbakonam, said the new road has cut down travel time considerably. “I can reach Cuddalore in 30 minutes and it takes 1.5 hours to go to Villupuram. People are now reaching their destinations faster,” she said..  

S. Arunachalam, who travelled to Kumbakonam recently, said he had begun using the road quite recently and found it comfortable. “The old ECR used to be narrow and certain stretches with curves were really dangerous. In the new road, some reaches, especially those atop bridges, don’t have lights. There are also vehicles like two-wheelers that come on the wrong side. More eateries, car parking spots where families can take a break and hotels can be opened along the highway, he suggested.  

Sources in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said the highway patrolling would be intensified and local motorists educated about not driving on the wrong side. “They are yet to get used to the road and seem to keep driving as if this is a small rural road. We have provided enough vehicular underpasses for local traffic. Light fixtures are being installed on certain stretches and those would be electrified soon,” he said.  

Four-laning of the NH-32 is being carried out in four contract packages and this section of the road is around 5-10 km away from the coast as the crow flies due to the need to safeguard mangroves, which are in abundance in the area.   

Minor works are in progress in both package 1 from Villupuram to Puducherry for a distance of 29 km and constructed at a cost of ₹1,013 crore and on the 38-km reach from Puducherry to Poondiyankuppam constructed at a cost of ₹1,228 crore.   

In package 3 from Poodiyankuppam to Sattanathapuram that runs for a length of 56.8 km and constructed at a cost of ₹2,120 crore, all the works have been completed and tolling has commenced at the plaza at Kothattai. In package 4, which runs from Sattanathapuram to Nagapattinam covering a distance of 55.75 km, 31 km has been completed. The work on this stretch has been taken up at a cost of ₹1,905 crore.