National Highway 544, commonly referred to as NH 544, (old number NH 47)[1] is a 340-kilometre-long (210 mi) National Highway in South India connecting Salem city in Tamil Nadu to the city of Kochi in Kerala. It is also called the Salem-Kochi Highway. The highway runs through the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, connecting various important cities and towns such as Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Palakkad, Thrissur and Kochi. It is a spur of National Highway 44, which forms the North South Corridor of the National Highway network of India.It passes south of Coimbatore. NH544 is the only highway in kerala which is fully 4lane (partially 6 lane also) including kuthiran Road Tunnel . It was formerly designated National Highway 47.[2]
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 Map of the National Highway in red | ||||
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| Route information | ||||
| Length | 340 km (210 mi) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| North end |  NH 44 in Salem, TN | |||
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| South end |  NH 66 in Edappally , KL | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | India | |||
| States | Kerala: 146 km (91 mi) Tamil Nadu: 194 km (121 mi) | |||
| Primary destinations | Salem - Erode - Coimbatore - Palakkad - Thrissur - Kochi | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route description
Starts from NH44 near Salem and passes through Coimbatore, Palakkad, Thrissur, and ends at junction with NH66 at Edapally in Kochi. Check the NH 544[3] videos.
Major intersections
Tamil Nadu
National Highway 544 (NH 544) begins in Tamil Nadu, with key intersections facilitating access to various districts and cities. Starting from Salem, NH 44 connects travelers to major destinations such as Bangalore, Namakkal, and Chennai, marking the western end of the highway. The Coimbatore bypass, beginning at Neelambur, serves as a significant junction for local traffic, allowing vehicles to navigate around the city more efficiently. Further along, NH 181 and NH 81 near Saraswathi Hospitals direct traffic to Coimbatore and Karur, while the Eachanari Pirivu junction links NH 748 and NH 83, connecting to Coimbatore and Pollachi. These intersections enhance the connectivity of NH 544 with vital routes within Tamil Nadu.
Kerala
As NH 544 progresses into Kerala, it continues to serve as a critical transportation artery with several important intersections. The highway reaches Palakkad, where it intersects NH 966, providing access to Kozhikode. Moving forward, the Kannadi junction connects to SH 27, facilitating travel towards Chittur. In Thrissur, Kodakara serves as a crucial link along SH 51, leading to Kodungallur, while Potta connects to SH 61 towards Irinjalakkuda. Chalakkudy is notable for its proximity to the popular Athirapilly waterfalls, accessible via SH 21. Further down, Angamaly, situated on SH 1, connects to Muvattupuzha, Munnar, and Kottayam, while Athani offers expressway access to Cochin International Airport, emphasizing the importance of these intersections for enhancing connectivity and supporting local economies in Kerala.
Toll Plazas
- Vaiguntham, Tamil Nadu
- Vijaymangalmam, Tamil Nadu
- Kaniyur, Tamil Nadu
- Chullimada Hamlet (Pampampallam), Kerala
- Panniyankara, Kerala
- Paliyekkara, Kerala
Surveillance
In an effort to improve the traffic systems, the Kerala Road Safety Authority (KSRA) has completed the first phase of installation of high-tech automatic traffic enforcement systems on the 98 km Edappally-Mannuthy stretch of NH 544. As part of the Rs 8.5 crore project, 65 automatic traffic enforcement systems will be installed at 23 points on the stretch. The monitoring technology involves a mixture of virtual sensors, motion detectors, inductive sensors, logo sensors and high resolution cameras. Pictures of number plates would be captured using 10 megapixel cameras. The main server that will be linked to all cameras will be set up at the deputy transport commissioner's office. The magnetic sensors installed on roads will trigger the cameras in case of violations and send a message to the main server. Offenders will be traced based on visuals of vehicles and registration plates and they will be issued notice. The project is being implemented by KSRA and the Motor Vehicles Department with the technical support of Keltron as part of the decision to observe 2011-2020 as the 'decade of action for road safety'.[4]
See also
References
External links
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