NHAI Awards Rs 76.26 Crore Contract for 7-Km Gangaikonda Cholapuram Bypass On NH-81 In Tamil Nadu
The National Highways Authority of India has issued a Letter of Award for the construction of a seven-kilometre greenfield bypass to Gangaikonda Cholapuram in the Kallagam to Meensurutti section of NH-81 in Tamil Nadu.
The project, valued at approximately Rs 76.26 crore, has been awarded to AVP Infracon under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction mode.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the project on 11 March during his visit to Tiruchirappalli, where he inaugurated development projects worth approximately Rs 5,650 crore.
The two-lane bypass with paved shoulders will include 3.47 kilometres of service and slip roads, two minor bridges, two vehicular underpasses, three limited vehicular underpasses and eight box culverts.
The bypass will benefit pilgrims visiting the 1,000-year-old Brihadeeswara Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Monument at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
The existing NH-81 passes very close to the temple, causing safety concerns for visitors.
The new infrastructure will divert major volumes of traffic, especially heavy vehicles, away from the heritage site, making travel safer and more convenient for pilgrims.
The project will also reduce travel time to other prominent temples in the region, including the Aranganatha Swamy Temple at Srirangam and the Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram.
NH-81 connects Coimbatore to Chidambaram and runs entirely through Tamil Nadu, covering a total distance of 321. 4 kilometres.
The bypass is expected to strengthen the local economy while providing a seamless travel experience for highway users in the region.