The 46-km bypass road between Melur in Madurai and Karaikudi in Sivaganga, being built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), is expected to be completed by March 2026.

Initially estimated at Rs 756 crore, the project’s cost was revised to Rs 1,070 crore due to increased expenses. The road includes a 27-km stretch from Melur to Thirupathur and a 19-km stretch from Thirupathur to Karaikudi. This four-lane corridor will provide direct connectivity to key locations like Kundrakudi, and features interchanges every 1.5 to two km for easy direction changes. A new toll plaza has been set up at Brahamanapatti, 20 km from Melur.

NHAI officials highlighted that the bypass will reduce travel time from one hour 15 minutes to around 40 minutes. “Once operational, commuters can travel directly from Melur to Karaikudi without entering villages, reducing delays,” said an official.