NH_208
National Highway 744 (India)
National highway in India
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]
| National Highway 744 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||
| East end |  NH 44 in Tirumangalam, TN | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | India | |||
| States | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
This 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]
As 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.
| State | District | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | Madurai | Tirumangalam | 0 | 0 | NH 44 - Madurai, Kanyakumari |
Eastern end of the highway. |
| Virudhunagar | Alagapuri | 32 | 20 |  SH 182 - Virudhunagar |
||
| Srivilliputhur | 86 | 53 |  SH 42 - Sivakasi | |||
| Tirunelveli | Puliyankudi | 136 | 85 |  SH 76 - Sankarankoil |
||
| Thenkasi | 167 | 104 |   SH 39 / SH 40 - Pavoorchatram, Courtallam | |||
| Sengottai | 173 | 107 | SH 40 - Courtallam |
|||
| Kerala | Kollam | Thenmala | 202 | 126 |  SH 2 - Thiruvananthapuram |
|
| Punalur | 223 | 139 |   SH 48 / SH 8 - Anchal, Ayoor, Pathanapuram | |||
| Kottarakkara | 241 | 150 |  SH 1 - Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Angamaly |
|||
| Kollam | 264 | 164 | NH 66 - Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal, Ernakulam |
Western end of the highway. Kollam bypass. | ||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | ||||||
- NH-744 at Kadappakada, Kollam City
- 13 Ring Bridge near the side of NH 744, Thenmala
- A sign board in NH 744
- "Kerala PWD - National Highways". www.keralapwd.gov.in. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014.
- 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.
- "Project Reporter | Four Laning of Thirumangalam to Rajapalayam Section". Retrieved 3 December 2016.