R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, OCT 15
Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for three major National Highway projects worth over ₹2,000 crore in Puducherry on Sunday, marking a significant milestone in the Union Territory’s infrastructure development.
Shri Nitin Gadkari laid foundation stone & inaugurated #NH projects worth Rs. 2,000 Cr., biggest in terms of project cost ever approved in the history of #Puducherry. This will enhance road safety & ease traffic congestion.@rashtrapatibhvn @narendramodi @AmitShah @MORTHIndia pic.twitter.com/fTZO6xSdel
— Lt. Gov. Puducherry (@LGov_Puducherry) October 15, 2025
Joined by Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy, Union Minister Dr. L. Murugan, state ministers, MPs, MLAs, and senior officials, Gadkari emphasized that the projects will “transform Puducherry into a model of sustainable urban mobility and efficient connectivity.”
- Union Minister inaugurates and lays foundation for key NH projects worth ₹2,000 crore; new elevated corridors and four-lane highways to decongest the city and boost tourism
- NHAI launches innovative ‘Clean Toilet Picture Challenge’ to promote hygiene, transparency, and citizen participation along National Highways
Massive Infrastructure Push for Puducherry
The projects include a 4 km elevated corridor between Indira Gandhi Square and Rajiv Gandhi Square on NH-32, improvements to the 14 km ECR Road (NH-332A), and inauguration of the 38 km four-lane Puducherry–Poondiyankuppam section of NH-32.
Once completed, the elevated corridor will reduce travel time between Indira Gandhi Square and Rajiv Gandhi Square from 35 minutes to just 10 minutes, easing traffic congestion and cutting fuel use and emissions. Motorists from Viluppuram to Chidambaram and Nagapattinam can bypass the city, saving nearly 50 minutes of travel time.
These projects will strengthen tourism and trade, improve connectivity to key pilgrim and heritage sites such as the Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, and Auroville, and boost economic growth across the Union Territory.
“Good roads are the backbone of national prosperity,” said Gadkari, recalling John F. Kennedy’s words: ‘America is rich because American roads are good.’
“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India’s highway revolution is empowering every state and Union Territory. Puducherry’s transformation is part of this national vision,” he added.
Vision for Green, Innovative and Inclusive Growth
Highlighting India’s emergence as one of the world’s largest highway networks, Gadkari underscored the government’s focus on innovation, sustainability, and technology. He revealed that over 80 lakh tonnes of municipal waste have been used in road construction projects, citing Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill, where the garbage mound’s height was reduced by 7 metres.
He also announced plans to create lakes using NHAI resources for water conservation, and new projects including:
- Four-lane elevated corridor (3 km) from Natesan Nagar to Marapalam Junction, and Ariyankuppam–Mullodai (13.5 km) – ₹650 crore.
- Four-lane Marakkanam–Puducherry section (46 km) – ₹2,200 crore.
- Six-lane elevated corridor (8 km) from Madurai to Sriperumbudur – ₹1,600 crore.
- Strengthening NH-32 section (22 km) in Karaikal – ₹60 crore.
- Six-lane elevated corridor (3,000 crore) from KCBT Bus Terminal to Mahindra City, Chengalpattu.
Out of the ₹25,000 crore NH projects planned for Puducherry, projects worth ₹3,100 crore (85 km) are completed, ₹11,000 crore (200 km) ongoing, and ₹10,300 crore (103 km) in the pipeline.
NHAI’s ‘Clean Toilet Picture Challenge’: Citizen-Led Hygiene Drive
In line with the government’s Special Campaign 5.0, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) launched the ‘Clean Toilet Picture Challenge’ — a first-of-its-kind initiative inviting travellers to report unhygienic toilets at toll plazas through the RajmargYatra app.
Users uploading a geo-tagged photo of an unclean toilet will receive a ₹1,000 FASTag recharge reward for valid submissions. The initiative runs till October 31, 2025, reinforcing NHAI’s commitment to cleanliness, transparency, and efficient governance.
Only toilets maintained under NHAI jurisdiction are covered, with each vehicle registration eligible for a single reward during the campaign. Reports will be AI-verified to ensure authenticity.
“Clean roads must go hand-in-hand with clean facilities,” said Gadkari. “This campaign turns every commuter into a stakeholder in maintaining hygiene and dignity on our highways.”
Towards a Prosperous and Clean Puducherry
With these large-scale infrastructure and cleanliness initiatives, Puducherry is set to emerge as a national model for integrated development, combining connectivity, sustainability, and citizen participation.
“Our mission is clear — development with transparency, timeliness, and quality,” Gadkari reiterated. “We are building roads not just to connect cities, but to connect hearts, opportunities, and aspirations.”
