CHENNAI: At least 22 temples in Thanjavur, Cuddalore and Villupuram districts will be relocated within a month to ensure smooth execution of road projects worth 2,450 crore under the Centre's Bharatmala Prayojana scheme . The Tamil Nadu government has extended such an assurance to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)-Chennai region.The four-laning of the 165km-National Highway 36 (old NH 45C) between Vikravandi in Villupuram district and Thanjavur in three phases and the six-laning of Chennai-Tada section of Chennai-Kolkatta NH 5 have been delayed due to the relocation of the shrines.NHAI authorities said though the TN government had acquired close to 90% of the land along the alignment of the road projects, relocation of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR &CE)-maintained temples and other 'religious structures' were hampering the road projects. "A total of 22 shrines are hindering three major road projects. We have raised the issue with the Principal Secretary of Highways (S K Prabakar) in a recent meeting. He assured us that steps will be taken to relocate them and hand over the land by November-end," said a senior NHAI official.The special district revenue officers (land acquisition) have been instructed to speed up the relocation of the temples. In the first phase of the project between Vikravandi and Sethiathope in Cuddalore district , which would be executed at a cost of Rs 1,259crore, the authorities have identified seven temples in Villupuram district. This includes four HR & CE-maintained temples.Thirteen temples have been identified in the third phase of the project between Cholapuram (in Thanjavur district) and Thanjavur section of the NH 36. There were protests against relocation of most of the temples, hindering the 1,176 crore road project in Thanjavur district.Six-laning of the Chennai-Tada section of the NH 45 at Rs 295 crore has also been facing a similar fate. The project has been left incomplete because of a famous HR & CE temple at Jaganathapuram and an adjacent village temple. The HR & CE had responded in the negative when the NHAI requested it to relocate the temple a couple of months ago. "We are unable to complete the service lane for nearly 50 metres as the HR & CE department had refused to relocate the temple. So, we have taken the issue to the chief secretary (K Shanmugam) and sought his intervention," said a senior official.