Minister for Handlooms and Textiles and Ranipet MLA R. Gandhi inaugurated the new bypass. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
State Highways on Wednesday opened a new four-lane bypass between Tajpura and Veppur villages on Arcot – Villupuram High Road (SH 04) near Arcot town in Ranipet at a cost of ₹ 35 crore.
Officials of the state highways that maintain the stretch said the new stretch will be an alternative route to reach the Chennai – Bengaluru Highway (NH 48) at Veppur village on the Arcot – Vellore town border as the travel time is shorter.
“The existing narrow main highway of Arcot will be less congested after the opening of the new bypass as trucks and lorries will use the new stretch, ending the suffering of motorists, especially two-wheelers,” said motorist R. Sekar.
Minister for Handlooms and Textiles and Ranipet MLA R. Gandhi inaugurated the new bypass. Collector JU Chandrakala, R. Krishnaswamy, Superintending Engineer (SE), State Highways (Tiruvannamalai) and S. Selvakumar, Divisional Engineer (DE), State Highways (Ranipet).
Funded under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Program (CRIDP) 2024-25, the new 3.46-km ring road has a 10-metre-wide carriageway, 1.2-metre-wide median strip, pavement, LED street lights and tall mast lamps.
As part of the safety features, the new section also has road nails, reflectors, markings, blinkers and CCTV cameras will also be part of the work. “It is estimated that more than 9,000 vehicles, mainly trucks and lorries, pass through Arcot city to go to industrial corridors like Chennai and Bengaluru. A total of 9.36 hectares has been acquired for the work,” T. Murugan, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), State Highways (Rural Roads), told The Hindu.
Highway officials said the new stretch connects three key state highway stretches, including Krishnagiri – Ranipet High Road (SH 24) and Arcot – Kannamangalam High Road (SH 29). By providing an alternative route for commercial vehicles, the new bypass will relieve Arcot city including the bus stand from existing traffic congestion in the city, traders said.
The new bypass also provides motorists with a short journey to Taluk Government Hospital at Walajah, the new campus of Christian Medical College (CMC) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) in Ranipet and key cities like Melvisharam and Vellore.
Published – 04 March 2026 23:12 IST
