National Highway 744 or NH 744 (earlier NH 208)[1] is a National Highway in Southern India that links Kollam (Quilon) in Kerala with Madurai in Tamil Nadu.[2] Starting from NH 66 at Chinnakkada in Kollam, it joins Tirumangalam in Madurai at National Highway 44 (India).[2]
 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Map of National Highway 744 in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of NH 44 | ||||
| Maintained by NHAI | ||||
| Length | 206 km (128 mi) | |||
| History | Announced as 'NH-208' in 2000 | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  NH 66 in Kollam, KL | |||
 at Kallumthazham at Kottarakkara at Punalur | ||||
| East end |  NH 44 in Tirumangalam, TN | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | India | |||
| States | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
editThis route has historically connected the cashew and spice producing Kollam District with the erstwhile Madras State. Nowadays, hordes of lorries carrying various goods from Tamil Nadu ply through this highway. The road cuts through the narrow low altitude gap at Aryankavu, and is a visual delight, especially the stretch from Thenmala to Sengottai. The historic Kollam-Sengottai Railway line goes by the side of the road.[3]
Chinnakada → Kallumthazham →Keralapuram → Kundara → Ezhukone → Kottarakkara → Melila → Kunnicode → Vilakkudy → Punalur → Edamon → Thenmala → Kazhuthurutty → Aryankavu → Shenkottai → Ilanji → Tenkasi → Kadayanallur → Puliangudi → Vasudevanallur → Sivagiri → Seithur → Rajapalayam → Srivilliputtur → Alagapuri → T. Kallupatti → Tirumangalam[4]
Future
editAs per news reports[5] and NHAI[6] tender & project data, it has been confirmed that the section of NH 744 between Tirumangalam (on NH 44) and Rajapalayam is being taken up to be converted into a tolled, four lane highway for a total distance of 68 km.
Major intersections
edit| State | District | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | Madurai | Tirumangalam | 0 | 0 | Eastern end of the highway. | |
| Virudhunagar | Alagapuri | 32 | 20 | |||
| Srivilliputhur | 86 | 53 | ||||
| Tenkasi | Puliyankudi | 136 | 85 | |||
| Thenkasi | 167 | 104 | ||||
| Sengottai | 173 | 107 | ||||
| Kerala | Kollam | Thenmala | 202 | 126 | ||
| Punalur | 223 | 139 | ||||
| Kottarakkara | 241 | 150 | ||||
| Kollam | 264 | 164 | Western end of the highway. Kollam bypass. | |||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | ||||||
Gallery
edit-
NH-744 at Kadappakada, Kollam City
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13 Ring Bridge near the side of NH 744, Thenmala
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A sign board in NH 744
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Kerala PWD - National Highways". www.keralapwd.gov.in. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014.
- ^ a b Details of National Highways in IndiaArchived 10 April 2009 at the Library of Congress Web Archives
- ^ "Government sanctions INR 3440 Cr for projects in Kerala". Devdiscourse. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ Google maps
- ^ "Maalaimalar News: திருமங்கலம்-ராஜபாளையம் வரை 68 கிலோ மீட்டர் தூரத்திற்கு 4 வழிசாலையாக மாற்றம்: பொன்.ராதாகிருஷ்ணன் || Tirumangalam Rajapalayam 68 km to the modification 4 path road ponradhakrishnan". www.maalaimalar.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ "Project Reporter | Four Laning of Thirumangalam to Rajapalayam Section". Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.