Vikravandi Toll Plaza, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu: Rates, Location and Directions

Vikravandi has grown from a modest suburb into a genuine crossroads town — sitting at the junction of NH-45 and NH-36, this Villupuram-district town of over 33,000 people now anchors traffic bound not just for Chennai and Tiruchi, but for the entire Kumbakonam-Thanjavur-Pudukkottai corridor further south. Vikravandi Toll Plaza collects toll right at this junction, making it one of the more strategically positioned checkpoints on Tamil Nadu’s highway network.

A Junction Town Growing Into Its Highway Role

Vikravandi’s position at a genuine highway intersection gives this plaza a distinctive traffic character:

• NH-36 begins right at Vikravandi and runs south through Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, and Pudukkottai all the way to Manamadurai, meaning this junction connects Chennai-bound traffic to Tamil Nadu’s temple belt and southern districts.
• The town sits just 14 km from Villupuram and roughly 35 km from Puducherry, placing it within easy reach of both a major district headquarters and a Union Territory capital.
• The toll plaza itself began commercial operations on July 24, 2009, following a fee notification issued in March that year, and carries a capital cost of ₹480 crore.

Current Toll Rates

Tamil Nadu’s NHAI toll plazas typically see rate revisions twice a year, and Vikravandi’s most recent increase reflects that cycle:

• The single-trip car rate rose from ₹105 to ₹110 in the most recent revision, part of a broader increase of ₹5 to ₹30 across 25 Tamil Nadu toll plazas depending on vehicle category.
• Local vehicles registered within the district may qualify for reduced charges, worth confirming directly at the toll office.
• A monthly pass is available for regular commuters, offering unlimited crossings within a specified period at a significant saving over per-trip payment.

Why This Stretch Sees Such Heavy, Varied Traffic

The Tindivanam-Ulundurpet section of NH-45 is one of Tamil Nadu’s most vital corridors, and Vikravandi’s junction position means the traffic here doesn’t follow a single simple pattern:

• Through-traffic on NH-45 connecting Chennai to Tiruchirappalli and further south forms the primary flow across this long 72.9-km tollable stretch.
• Traffic branching onto NH-36 toward Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, and Pudukkottai adds a genuinely distinct secondary stream that merges with the main corridor at this junction.
• Regional traffic connecting Villupuram and Puducherry, both within a short distance of Vikravandi, contributes steady local volume alongside the longer-distance flow.
• Average daily traffic was recorded at over 51,000 passenger car units as of a 2017 measurement, against a designed capacity of just 12 PCU per lane, indicating a plaza built for genuinely high volume.

Location and Getting There

The toll plaza sits at km 150.400 on NH-45, within the Tindivanam-Ulundurpet stretch, near Vikravandi town in Villupuram district.

• From Chennai or Tindivanam: Head south on NH-45 toward Ulundurpet and Tiruchirappalli; the plaza appears within this tollable stretch as you approach Vikravandi.
• From Tiruchirappalli or Ulundurpet: Travel north on NH-45 toward Tindivanam and Chennai; Vikravandi is one of the tolls you’ll cross on this route.
• Toward Kumbakonam or Thanjavur: Branch onto NH-36 at the Vikravandi junction to continue south through the Cauvery delta region.
• From Puducherry: Connect onto NH-45 via local roads to reach this corridor, roughly 35 km from the town.

Facilities and Management

• The plaza operates 24/7, with FASTag systems implemented for faster transactions and reduced wait times.
• Emergency helplines cover crane, ambulance, and route patrol services, coordinated through the toll plaza’s management.
• The nearest police station is located in Vikravandi itself, with the Project Implementation Unit based in Villupuram for administrative matters.
• Cash payments remain accepted alongside FASTag, though electronic payment is encouraged for faster processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How much does a car pay at Vikravandi Toll Plaza?

A car, jeep, or van pays ₹110 for a single journey following the most recent rate revision, part of a broader increase applied across 25 Tamil Nadu toll plazas.

Q2. Why does this plaza handle traffic from multiple directions?

Vikravandi sits at the junction of NH-45 and NH-36, so traffic converges here from both the Chennai-Tiruchi corridor and the route branching south toward Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, and Pudukkottai.

Q3. How often do toll rates change at this plaza?

Tamil Nadu’s NHAI toll plazas, including Vikravandi, are generally revised twice a year, with recent increases ranging from ₹5 to ₹30 depending on vehicle category.

Q4. Do local Villupuram-area residents get a discount at this plaza?

Yes, local vehicles registered within the district may benefit from reduced charges, and a monthly pass offering unlimited crossings is also available for regular commuters — worth confirming eligibility directly at the toll office.