NHAI Awards Rs 181 Cr Contract for 7 km Bypass Near Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple in Tamil Nadu

The National Highways Authority of India has planned to construct a 7 km greenfield bypass near the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage monument, to decongest approach roads and improve traffic movement along the Trichy–Chidambaram corridor in Tamil Nadu.

The project involves the construction of a two-lane road with paved shoulders on the Kallagam–Meensurutti section of National Highway 81 at a cost of Rs 181 crore. NHAI has issued a Letter of Award (LoA) for the project, which is aimed at diverting heavy vehicle traffic away from the temple precinct and nearby settlements.

Currently, NH-81 passes close to the 1,000-year-old temple complex near Jayankondam, raising safety concerns for tourists and pilgrims visiting the heritage site. The new bypass will deviate from the Trichy–Chidambaram highway after Ponneri Lake, run north of the temple complex, and reconnect near Meensurutti, effectively bypassing the temple zone and the core village area.

Once completed, the bypass will facilitate smoother movement of vehicles travelling between Tiruchirappalli, Chidambaram and Chennai, while reducing travel time and improving safety around the heritage monument. The project will also help preserve the historic temple precinct by diverting heavy traffic away from the site.