In a recent development National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to widen the road into six lanes with two service lanes on both sides, which meant a 70-km stretch between Sriperumbudur and Walajahpet on the NH 48 will be the first road in Tamil Nadu to have 10 lanes, with four service lanes and six carriage lanes. The project, which is estimated to cost ₹1,689 crore, to be executed in two packages with the first package of 34-km road between Sriperumbudur and Karaipettai will be widened at the cost of ₹938 crore. The existing four lanes will be widened into six lanes with 8.75 metres' width on both side with paved shoulders. An additional seven metres' wide service lane will also be laid on both sides for about 30 km. Similarly, as part of the second package, the 36-km Karaipettai-Walajahpet road will be widened into six lanes at the cost of ₹751 crore, of which a 32-km road stretch will be provided with two-lane (seven metres) service roads on both sides. Of the 326-km distance of the Chennai-Bengaluru bypass road (National Highway 48), the 70-km stretch between Sriperumbudur and Walajahpet has four lanes, while the road from Koyambedu to Sriperumbudur and Walajah to Bengaluru has six lanes, said official sources.
