SC verdict on Chennai-Salem highway a boost for development In the past four years, Tamil Nadu has seen many protests against infrastructural and industrial projects. The Chennai-Salem expressway is one such project facing protests December 10, 2020 / 11:30 AM IST On December 8 the Supreme Court upheld the land acquisition process for the controversial Chennai-Salem expressway. In a relief to the Tamil Nadu government, which over the last few years has seen a series of project stymied by protests and litigation, the apex court reversed the order of the Madras High Court that had quashed the acquisition notification. The 277-km eight-lane greenfield expressway from Chennai to Salem is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the state capital and the industrial hubs in the western part of the state leading up to Coimbatore.