CHENNAI: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, said the Tamil Nadu portion of the Chennai-Bengaluru expressway would be completed by August 2025.

Responding to questions in the winter session of the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said that the 261.70 km-long expressway project, including a length of 105.70 km in Tamil Nadu, costing Rs 7,525 crore, is at various stages of implementation.

The BCE construction work is executed under four packages, and a trumpet interchange at Irungattukottai is being constructed connecting the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH-48). The expressway begins at Sriperumbudur and ends at Gudipala in Andhra Pradesh.

The NHAI has completed nearly 72 per cent of the works on the 24 km stretch from Gudipala to Walajahpet, the 24.5 km stretch from Walajahpet to Arakkonam (86 per cent), the 25.5 km stretch from Arakkonam to Kancheepuram (52 per cent) and the 32.1 km stretch Kancheepuram to Sriperumbudur (65 per cent).

The works in the Gudipala (AP) to Walajahpet, Walajahpet to Arakkonam and Arakkonam to Kancheepuram stretches are likely to be completed by March 2025, while the Kancheepuram to Sriperumbudur stretch would be completed only by July 2025.

However, the work on the trumpet interchange, which began only in February this year, has achieved a 15 per cent progress and is likely to be executed in August next year.

Sources in the NHAI said that initial delays were caused by issues related to land acquisition, borrow area approvals, and delays in fixing compensation for land/crops for shifting of the extra high tension (EHT) lines. “Now, the works are progressing briskly and are expected to be completed by August next year. It will be opened for traffic soon,” sources said.