Chennai, Nov 15 (IANS) Tamil Nadu’s Arcot town is poised for smoother and safer travel as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) prepares to open a new elevated corridor and an underpass on the Chennai–Bengaluru Highway (NH-48) soon.

The project, built at a cost of Rs 22 crore, is expected to address long-standing congestion and accident risks at one of the busiest junctions in the state’s Ranipet district.

NHAI officials said the elevated corridor and the underpass near the crucial tri-junction will substantially ease movement on the high-traffic stretch, which has been classified as a “black spot” based on accident data shared periodically by the district police.

Once opened, vehicles from Chennai, including government buses and school vans, will be routed over the new two-lane, 15-metre-wide elevated structure, while motorists from Bengaluru will continue on the existing road.

The underpass below the structure, built with a height of 4.5 metres and a width of 20 metres, will allow two-wheelers, cars, and buses to take safe U-turns and access key localities.

For thousands of residents, the facility will eliminate the need to travel nearly 1.5 km just to cross over to the other side of the highway. “It will help us reach the market, schools, banks and hospitals with much less delay,” a commuter from Arcot said.

The single underpass is also expected to significantly reduce the number of U-turn points along the route, thereby lowering the chances of side-impact crashes.

The surrounding stretch houses schools, hospitals, government offices and the Arcot bus terminus — making controlled crossings essential for public safety.

Final touches are being added before the official opening. NHAI teams are currently laying the final black-topping layer on the elevated corridor to ensure a smooth surface. Installation of LED street lights, reflectors, warning signs, and blinkers is also underway to enhance visibility and overall safety.

Highway engineers say the location of the new underpass aligns with national standards, which recommend such facilities at intervals of around 1.5 km along busy corridors and near crowded intersections.

With this addition, the Chennai–Bengaluru highway between Krishnagiri and Walajapet — covering 148 km and already containing 19 underpasses — gains another key safety feature aimed at reducing accidents and improving commuter convenience in the Arcot region.

–IANS

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