Due to the establishment of state and the expansion of trade, cities sprang up and many such cities were interlinked with passages and highways that were crucial for the exchange of goods and commodities. We come across many such highways in inscriptions belonging to the Chola and Pandya periods. There are some inscriptions, engraved on either boulders or slabs, which served as name boards.

For instance, we may refer to the Rajakesaripperuvazhi(10^th century CE) at Cundaikkamuttur (Coimbatore District), which probably led upto Kerala or the ancient Chera country and Magadesan Peruvazhi (13 ^th century CE) at Aragalur (Salem District) – the high way, which led to Kanchipuram. By the side of such highways.there were milestones (Katakkal in Tamil) which mentioned the distance from the place,

where such a milestone was located to the prominent place or mercantilecentre Atiyaman Peruvazhi Navar thavalattukkuk katam 27. This is the highway named after Atiyaman. The place Naval tavalam is at a distance of 27 katams . Similar 29 katamstone also noticed