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 Map of Chennai-Thiruvallur High Road with NH 716 highlighted in red SH-U 148 highlighted in green | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by National Highways Authority of India, Tamil Nadu State Highways Department | |
| Length | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Component highways | NHAI, TN-SH |
| Major junctions | |
| East end | Padi Junction,Chennai |
| Major intersections | Ambattur Estate Jn NH 32 Telephone Exchange Jn Dunlop Jn Ambattur-Redhills Rd Jn Avadi-Poonamallee Road Jn Outer Ring Road Jn, Pattabiram Peripheral Ring Road Jn, Putlur |
| West end | Thiruvallur |
| Location | |
| Country | India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Highway system | |
| State Highways in Tamil Nadu | |
Chennai–Thiruvallur High Road (CTH Road), formerly known as Madras–Thiruvallur High Road (or MTH Road), is a major road connecting northwestern suburbs ofChennai,India. Starting fromPadi Junction, this arterial road connects the suburbs ofPadi,Ambattur,Thirumullaivoyal,Avadi,Pattabiram,Thirunindravur andThiruvallur. It is one of the four national highways out of Chennai city, part ofNH 716 and SH-U 148.[1][2]
The road, however, is narrow with a width of 8–10 metres. Over 46,000 – 88,000 vehicles use the road every day. The morning Peak Hour per direction (PHPD) traffic of CTH road is 3400 – 7000 vehicles with Peak Hour share of 8%.[3]
The road begins atPadi junction in Chennai and runs about 22 km in the Chennai metropolitan area (CMA) up to Thirunindravur, from where it runs a further 59 km to reach Tiruttani. According to officialIndian Roads Congress norms, this road is supposed to be 32 m (105 ft) wide, but currently it is only 10 m (33 ft) wide in many stretches.[4]
The Chennai–Thiruvallur High Road (CTH Road), originally part of NH-205 (later renumbered NH‑716), was de-notified as a National Highway due to expansion limitations and transferred to theTamil Nadu State Highways Department in 2013. The stretch for 22 kms fromPadi toThirunindravur, is now classified as State Highway Urban 148 (SH-U 148) and maintained by the State Highways (Construction and Maintenance) Department.[1][5]
In 2013, the Tamil Nadu government proposed widening the Padi–Thiruninravur stretch into a six-lane road, with the first phase involving four-laning with a center median at a cost of ₹98 crore.[6]However, the plan faced opposition from local traders’ associations, including theTamil Nadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peravai, leading to project delays for many years.[4]
In May 2025, land acquisition notices were issued to 153 property owners inThirumullaivoyal for acquiring 3.5 acres as part of the expansion process. Public consultations were scheduled for June 5, 2025. The move marked the formal resumption of the widening project, which had seen limited progress in earlier years.[5]
CTH Road passes through key suburban and industrial areas of Chennai, including Ambattur, Avadi, and Thiruninravur. The road is already home to the well-establishedAmbattur Industrial Estate, one of South India's largestSmall and Medium-scale Industrial Hubs and home to some of thedata centers.[7]
In addition,TIDEL Park Pattabiram, a 21-storey IT complex is the tallest building along the stretch. This IT park is expected to enhance employment opportunities and spur commercial growth in the western corridor of the city.[8][9]
In 2019, the Tamil Nadu Highways Department planned four flyovers on the 22-km road via key junctions at Padi, Ambattur Estate, Dunlop and Avadi.[10] In 2025, followingChennai Metro's plan to construct a metro corridor fromKoyambedu toPattabiram, the highways department revised its project by planning to integrate three of the four planned flyovers with metro line and additionally expand two railway overbridges.[11]
| Flyover | Junction served | Length | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avadi flyover | Avadi-Mount Poonamallee Road junction | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) | To be integrated with metro line |
| Dunlop flyover | Ambattur-Vanagaram Road junction | 1.1 km (0.68 mi) | |
| Ambattur Estate flyover | Ambattur Industrial Estate Bus Terminus junction | 1.1 km (0.68 mi) | |
| Korattur junction flyover | Padi-East Avenue Road junction | TBD | Standalone |
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