The project will upgrade approximately 46.7 km of NH-87 from Paramakudi to Ramanathapuram to a 4-lane configuration and will decongest the existing corridor. The Union cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the construction of a four-lane Paramakudi—Ramanathapuram Section (46.7 km) in Tamil Nadu. The project will be developed in Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) and will cost ₹1,853 crore in total capital, Union minister of railways, information and broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said during a media briefing.
Currently, connectivity between Madurai, Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, Rameshwaram, and Dhanushkodi is dependent on the existing two-lane National Highway 87 (NH-87) and associated State Highways, which experience significant congestion due to high traffic volumes, especially in densely populated stretches and key towns along the corridor, a government release said.
“To address these challenges, the project will upgrade approximately 46.7 km of NH-87 from Paramakudi to Ramanathapuram to a 4-lane configuration. This will decongest the existing corridor, improve safety, and cater to the mobility needs of rapidly growing towns such as Paramakudi, Sathirakudi, Achundanvayal and Ramanathapuram,” the government release added.
The project alignment integrates with five major National Highways (NH-38, NH-85, NH-36, NH-536, and NH-32) and three State Highways (SH-47, SH-29, SH-34), providing seamless connectivity to key economic, social, and logistics nodes across southern Tamil Nadu. Additionally, the upgraded corridor will enhance multi-modal integration by connecting with two major railway stations (Madurai and Rameshwaram), one Airport (Madurai), and two minor ports (Pamban and Rameshwaram), thereby facilitating faster movement of goods and passengers across the region.
Upon completion, the Paramakudi-Ramanathapuram section will play a pivotal role in regional economic growth, strengthening connectivity between major religious and economic centers, boosting tourism to Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, and opening new avenues for trade and industrial development.
The project will also generate approximately 8.4 lakh person-days of direct and 10.45 lakh person-days of indirect employment, and will open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in surrounding regions, the government release further said.
