The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed a 22.71 kilometre (km) four-lane access-controlled bypass around Tiruvannamalai to ease congestion during festivals. The National Highways wing of the state government will execute the scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 6.3838 billion (bn). The highway is expected to reduce travel time for vehicles from Polur and Cheyyar towards Chengam and Salem by around 30 minutes. The alignment will start at Velanandal village near the government medical college hospital on NH 38 and terminate at Enthal village near the Vettavalam bypass on the Tiruvannamalai–Villupuram NH after crossing the Chengam–Tiruvannamalai corridor. Of the total length of 22.71 km, about 13 km will be new greenfield alignment while the remaining nearly 10 km of the existing Tiruvannamalai–Chengam national highway will be widened into a four-lane carriageway. The bypass will divert traffic away from the town, reducing through traffic within Tiruvannamalai by approximately 13.5 km. Project features include six minor bridges, three flyovers, four vehicular underpasses, five light-vehicle underpasses, one road-over-bridge and 63 culverts. The scheme will also improve access to the Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College Hospital, shortening journeys for residents of Chengam, Thanipadi and Thandarampattu from a 25-km detour to about 10 km by the new link. Tendering has been invited and land acquisition is expected to commence shortly, according to National Highways officials. As part of construction, 4,506 trees are proposed to be felled and the contractor is required to undertake compensatory afforestation by planting at least 10 times the number removed, amounting to a minimum of 45,060 saplings. Authorities say the bypass will ease congestion caused by buses and other vehicles that presently pass through a heavily congested urban stretch to access the Tiruvannamalai–Chengam section of NH 179 B. The development aims to enhance connectivity and reduce intra-town vehicle movement while improving access to healthcare.