The long-awaited final segment of the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road (CPRR) project has entered an active phase, with the State Highways Department floating a tender for the construction of a key 27.41-kilometre stretch between Singaperumal Temple and Poonjeri near Mamallapuram. This final link, supported by funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), marks a major push toward completing the 137-kilometre ring road envisioned to ease port connectivity and decongest the city’s arterial routes.
The proposed corridor will start near Perumaleri and run through more than 20 villages, including Karanai, Kunnapattu, Manamathi, Rayamangalam, Sirukundram, Anumanthapuram and Chengunram. The estimated cost for this last phase stands at approximately Rs 2,800 crore.
Massive Infrastructure Push To Ease Port Traffic
The CPRR project is crucial for industries and port logistics, especially for heavy vehicles travelling to the Ennore and Kattupalli ports. Currently, freight movement is hampered by delays caused by traffic congestion, resulting in financial losses for both manufacturers and governments. To address these economic and logistical challenges, the state has committed to developing the 137-km peripheral ring road designed as a high-capacity, ten-lane infrastructure corridor.
The full stretch extends from Mamallapuram-Poonjeri in Chengalpattu district and moves northward through Singaperumal Temple, Sriperumbudur, Thamaraipakkam, Thachur, Meenjur and finally to Ennore and Kattupalli ports. Work has been divided into five packages, with construction progressing at different speeds across sections. Roughly 70% of the works between Kattupalli–Thachur and Thachur–Tiruvallur are already completed, while the Sriperumbudur–Singaperumal Temple portion has also moved into the execution stage.
A Corridor Connecting All Major Highways
Once completed, the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road will serve as a major connectivity backbone, linking multiple national highways — including the Chennai–Trichy, Chennai–Bengaluru, Chennai–Kolkata and Chennai–Tirupati routes — as well as the East Coast Road (ECR). By forming a seamless network between industrial hubs and ports, the CPRR is expected to significantly cut travel time and streamline freight movement.
Completion Target Set For 2028
With the tender for the final phase now published, government sources indicate that the overall project is currently slated for completion by 2028. The timeline, though ambitious, signals the state’s intent to fast-track one of Tamil Nadu’s largest infrastructure initiatives.