The Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway, one of the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) flagship greenfield infrastructure projects, continues to face delays in Tamil Nadu, with a 25-km stretch between Arakkonam and Kancheepuram remaining stalled due to prolonged litigation over the supply of fly ash, as reported in Times of India.
The 263.4-km, six-lane expressway, estimated to cost around ₹15,000 crore, was launched in 2019 with an initial completion target of 2023. However, the project has since missed multiple deadlines, even as construction has progressed rapidly in neighbouring Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Litigation Over Fly Ash Supply
According to officials, the dispute centres on the procurement of fly ash from the Ennore Thermal Power Plant operated by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).
As per the terms of the NHAI tender, the contractor was entitled to procure fly ash free of cost from the state government. However, the contractor alleged that local cartels controlling the movement and supply of fly ash were demanding substantial payments for the material, despite it being designated as free under the contract.
The disagreement led to litigation between the contractor and the NHAI before the Madras High Court.
Sources said the NHAI secured a favourable order in the initial proceedings. However, the contractor subsequently filed an appeal challenging the decision, and the matter is currently awaiting orders from the court.
The legal dispute has significantly slowed construction on the Arakkonam-Kancheepuram stretch, where only about 50% of the work has been completed.
Tamil Nadu Trails Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
While work remains stalled on the litigated section, progress has been substantial in other parts of the expressway passing through Tamil Nadu.
According to NHAI officials, construction has crossed 90% completion in the following stretches:
- Walajapet-Arakkonam (24.5 km)
- Kancheepuram-Sriperumbudur (31 km)
- Walajapet to Gudipala section
Despite these advances, the pending litigation has prevented seamless progress across the state’s portion of the corridor.
In contrast, Karnataka has completed and opened its entire 71-km stretch of the expressway, while Andhra Pradesh has opened 25 km to traffic and completed over 90% of work on the remaining sections.
Overall, nearly 100 km of the Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway has already been opened to the public.
State Government Promises to Eliminate Cartel Interference
Amid concerns over delays caused by local cartels and raw material procurement issues, Tamil Nadu’s Highways Minister Aadhav Arjuna recently assured both state highways and NHAI contractors that they would not face interference from local political functionaries or vested interests.
Addressing contractors and officials during a review meeting, the minister said the government would ensure that contractors executing highway projects could carry out work without obstruction.
He further stated that the Highways Department was considering procuring key construction materials itself and supplying them directly to contractors, instead of allowing local cartels to control access to raw materials.
“The Highways Department will procure the raw materials and provide them to the contractors. Contractors taking up stretches of over 100 km should be able to execute projects without any hindrance from MLAs or party members,” the minister said.
The proposed intervention is aimed at preventing delays arising from supply bottlenecks and ensuring timely completion of major infrastructure projects in the state.
The Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two metropolitan cities and improve freight movement across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka once fully operational. However, the pending litigation over the Arakkonam-Kancheepuram section continues to delay completion of the project in Tamil Nadu.
At a time when NHAI has made giant strides in Karnataka and Andhra, the Chennai-Bengaluru expressway project in Tamil Nadu has been stuck in litigation for more than a year now.
The reason? The contractor has accused local cartels managing raw material, including fly ash from… pic.twitter.com/BVqnkKlOc7
— Omjasvin M D (@omjasvinMD) July 16, 2026
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