Arcot’s New Lifeline: ₹35-Crore Four-Lane Bypass Now Open

The Tamil Nadu State Highways Department has opened a ₹35-crore four-lane bypass road between Tajpura and Veppur villages on the Arcot–Villupuram High Road (SH 04) near Arcot town in Ranipet district.

Officials said the 3.46-km stretch will provide an alternative route connecting to the Chennai–Bengaluru Highway (NH 48) at Veppur village on the Arcot–Vellore border, helping reduce travel time and ease congestion on the narrow Arcot Main Road. The bypass is expected to divert heavy vehicles such as trucks and lorries away from the town centre, improving traffic flow for local commuters.

The road was inaugurated by R. Gandhi, Minister for Handlooms and Textiles and MLA of Ranipet, in the presence of District Collector J. U. Chandrakala and senior highways officials.

Constructed under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme (CRIDP) 2024–25, the bypass features a 10-metre-wide carriageway, a 1.2-metre median, footpaths, LED streetlights, and high-mast lamps, along with safety installations such as road studs, reflectors, signboards, blinkers, and CCTV cameras.

Officials noted that over 9,000 vehicles, mainly trucks and lorries travelling between industrial corridors like Chennai and Bengaluru, pass through Arcot daily. About 9.36 hectares of land was acquired for the project.

The new bypass also improves connectivity to major State Highways such as the Krishnagiri–Ranipet High Road (SH 24) and the Arcot–Kannamangalam High Road (SH 29). Local traders believe diverting heavy vehicles will significantly reduce congestion in Arcot town, including around the bus terminus.

Additionally, the route will offer faster access to the Government Taluk Hospital in Walajah, the new campus of Christian Medical College, the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) facility in Ranipet, and nearby towns such as Melvisharam and Vellore.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.