Rest, refresh, refuel: TN highway body identifies seven spots for motorists to make pit stops

CHENNAI: Long drives on Tamil Nadu’s highways are set to become much more comfortable. The Tamil Nadu State Highways Authority is planning a series of wayside amenities where motorists can stop to eat, rest and refuel.

Seven locations along busy stretches in Villupuram, Tiruppur, Tiruvallur, Tirupathur, Salem, Dindigul and Tiruvannamalai districts have been identified for development under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model through public–private partnership. TNSHA has floated a tender in this regard.

The land available for development ranges from 0.84 acres at Kalendira in Tirupathur district to 1.91 acres at Palangarai in Tiruppur district.

For drivers and passengers, the new facilities will mean access to clean toilets, drinking water, ATMs, seating areas, first aid and baby-care rooms right on the highway. Families will have food courts and play zones for children, while truckers and bus crews will get separate parking bays and rest areas.

Motorists using electric vehicles will also be able to charge at dedicated points alongside traditional fuel stations, a first for the State Highways network. Officials said the aim is to reduce fatigue, improve safety and give travellers a reliable place to halt without leaving the highway.

Each centre will provide essential services such as drinking water and toilets free of cost, with a commitment to hygienic upkeep.

Concessionaires are mandated to ensure seven minimum amenities: food court, medical facilities, toilets, parking for two- and four-wheelers, parking bays for buses and trucks, children’s play areas and EV charging stations.

In addition to these, private developers will be permitted to set up value-added services including retail shops, repair garages, medical centres, dormitories for drivers, landscaped parks, nurseries, ATMs and indoor or outdoor play areas. Advertisement spaces and supporting infrastructure such as internal roads and pavements are also allowed.

To ensure smooth traffic circulation, entry and exit points to the pit stops will be designed in line with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways guidelines and Indian Roads Congress standards. Adequate signage and lighting will be installed across the premises to make them safe and easy to navigate, officials said.

Authorities added that the project is aimed at providing safe, clean and comfortable rest stops for long-distance travellers and at raising Tamil Nadu’s highway infrastructure to international standards.