HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT

Availability of adequate and quality infrastructure is a prerequisite for rapid industrial development, which in turn leads to creation of gainful employment for the people. Increasing accessibility and connectivity within and among rural areas is an important prerequisite for rural development. Tamil Nadu is served by an extensive road network in terms of its spread and quality, providing links between urban centers, agricultural market-places and rural habitations in the countryside.

Government of Tamil Nadu has the unique distinction of creating a separate Highways Department as early as in 1946 exclusively to attend to "Roads and Bridges" in the State.  It was a part of Public Works Department earlier but is now a separate and distinct Department with eleven Chief Engineers and support Engineering staff. The newly formed Secretariat under the Secretary, Highways Department came into being in 1996. The objectives of  the department are to maintain and improve the roads under the control of the Government, and to provide all weather road  connectivity to rural habitations. Tamil Nadu was the forerunner in bringing out a standard specifications for the roads and bridges in the year 1954. The Department is also in-charge of improvement and maintenance of National Highways in the State. 

EXISTING ROAD SCENARIO

The State has 60628 Km of roads which are maintained by Highways Department. This is nearly 2.5 times higher than the density of all-India road network. The entire road length in Tamil Nadu is having 1078 Major Bridges, 6810 Minor Bridges and 90539 culverts.

To serve our customers, the road users of Tamil Nadu by providing High Quality, Cost Effective, Environment - Friendly Road Network that is Reliable and Safe, contributing to Sustainable Economic Development and Social Well-being of the State, by applying Innovation, Best Practices, appropriate Technology and responsible Management of Internal and External Resources.