CHENNAI: Motorists along the Chennai bypass will get new entry and exit points at Tiruneermalai and Kallikuppam and barrier-free tolling at Tiruneermalai and Athipattu-Menambedu, in a major revamp planned by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to improve connectivity and ease traffic flow on the busy corridor.
NHAI has already issued a work order for the Tiruneermalai entry and exit, which is aimed at providing seamless connectivity to the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ), airport and southern parts of the city.
An additional entry and exit at Kallikuppam, near Menambedu, is planned to improve connectivity from Ambattur to areas north of the Chennai-Tiruvallur railway line. The Kallikuppam access is expected to come as a relief to residents along the Ambattur-Puzhal Road.
The service road along the Chennai bypass currently ends at Kallikuppam because of a railway track, forcing local motorists to take longer routes. Residents have been demanding either a road overbridge (ROB) on the service road to provide continuous connectivity to Ambattur or direct entry and exit points on the bypass.
The revamp will also bring changes to the tolling system. The existing Vanagaram toll plaza will be shifted to Tiruneermalai, while the Surapattu toll plaza will be replaced with a staggered tolling arrangement at Athipattu, near Decathlon, and Menambedu, according to an NHAI tender document. The two new tolling locations will use a barrier-free Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system, allowing vehicles to pass through without stopping at toll booths.
FASTag-equipped vehicles will be identified as they pass through the tolling zone, while cameras will capture registration numbers and facilitate electronic toll collection. For vehicles without FASTag, or where the tag is invalid or cannot be read, automatic number plate recognition will be used to identify the vehicle. E-notices will be generated when toll collection cannot be completed electronically.
The system is expected to reduce queues and improve traffic movement on the bypass. Camera-based monitoring will also help verify transactions and identify vehicles in cases where electronic toll collection fails.
NHAI had floated bids last year for shifting the Vanagaram toll plaza to Tiruneermalai along with several road safety measures. These included a six-lane vehicular underpass (VUP) at Vanagaram Junction, allowing local vehicles to cross using the service roads on either side without entering the main carriageway. This is expected to reduce disruption to through traffic and improve road safety.
A new causeway across the Cooum river between Ambattur and Maduravoyal was also planned to improve local connectivity, complementing the existing structure on the opposite side of the bypass.
NHAI is rolling out barrier-free MLFF technology at 16 toll plazas across the country, including three in Tamil Nadu: Nemili and Chennasamudram on NH-48 and Paranur on NH-45. Trial runs are under way at the three existing Tamil Nadu locations and they are expected to become operational shortly, an NHAI official said.
The proposed tolling points on the Chennai bypass have an indicative annual electronic toll collection of Rs 111.49 crore at Tiruneermalai and Rs 90.35 crore at Athipattu-Menambedu, based on 2025-26 figures cited in the tender document.