National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will proceed with six-laning of the 68 km Chengalpattu to Tindivanam stretch, including the construction of a 12 km access-controlled greenfield bypass around Chengalpattu, once the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) approves the detailed project report. The proposal aims to ease traffic congestion on the Grand Southern Trunk Road and to expedite long-distance movement. The bypass is designed as a fully access-controlled corridor to divert through traffic away from town roads. According to officials, the bypass will start near Pachaiamman Koil beyond the Kancheepuram Road junction on National Highway 32 and will rejoin the highway at Pakkam near the Uthiramerur Road junction. The scheme includes construction of a new bridge across the Palar river, addressing a bottleneck created by the existing two-lane bridge on the GST road. The bypass is expected to reduce delays within Chengalpattu town and improve connectivity for freight and passenger services. The detailed project report was submitted to the Centre before the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, but the review process was delayed when the Model Code of Conduct came into force. Officials indicated that discussions at a recent NITI Aayog meeting and the Chief Minister's call for widening the Chengalpattu to Trichy corridor could help advance the work. They said administrative clearances and funding prioritisation will determine the pace of implementation. NHAI officials noted that the widening proposal currently extends only up to Tindivanam because traffic volumes on that section are high. Beyond Tindivanam a separate greenfield expressway has been proposed between Singaperumalkoil and Trichy, and once the new corridor becomes operational a substantial portion of long-distance traffic is expected to shift to it. Consequently the authority does not foresee an immediate need to widen the existing highway further. The proposed elevated highway between Tambaram and Chengalpattu is being redesigned after the state government sought integration with the planned Metro Rail corridor. Final approvals from MoRTH remain pending and will be necessary before contracts are awarded.