From: Kochi, Kerala | Length 440 km | |
 | ||
To: Mukundarayar Chathiram, Dhanushkodi, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu States: Tamil Nadu: 290 km (180 mi)
Kerala: 150 km (93 mi) Primary
destinations: Kochi - Adimali - Munnar - Theni - Madurai - Paramakudi -Ramanathapuram- Rameswaram - Dhanushkodi | ||
National Highway 49 (or NH 49) is a National Highway in southern India. It traverses coast-to-coast linking Kochi in Kerala with Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu. It crosses the famous Pamban Bridge (Annai Indira Gandhi Bridge) before crossing into Rameswaram island. The total length runs up to 440 km (270 mi). The 5 km road between Mukundarayar Chathiram and Dhanuskodi was destroyed during the 1963 cyclone and was never rebuilt.
Government of India has recently announced that the destroyed stretch will be rebuilt at a cost of INR 250 million.The road between Madurai and Ramanathapuram is soon to be converted from the present single road to a four-lane highway. Union minister for road transport and shipping Nitin Gadkari was participated in the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Rs 1,387-crore project in Madurai on July 17,2015. An initial outlay of Rs 900 crore was made and now the project has been sanctioned Rs 1,387 crore. The 75km stretch from Madurai to Paramakudi will be converted into a four-lane road, while the remaining 39km stretch from Paramakudi to Ramanathapuram widened to form a two-lane road with paved shoulders. Falling under the NH-49, this project is one of the largest to be implemented in Tamil Nadu by the NHAI in the recent times.
Route
NH 55 starts from the junction of NH 47 at Kundannoor in Kochi and terminates at Muguntharayar Chattram between Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi.
Kerala: Kochi Metropolitan Area{Kundannoor, Thripunithura, Thiruvankulam, Puthencruz}, Kolenchery, Muvattupuzha, Kothamangalam, Neriamangalam, Adimali, Munnar, Devikulam and Poopara
Tamil Nadu: Bodinayakkanur, Theni, Andipatti, Usilampatti, Madurai, Tiruppuvanam, Manamadurai, Parthibanur, Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, Pamban, Rameswaram and Mukundarayar Chathiram.