Cuttack: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will shortly construct a vehicular underpass on the NH-16 at Sikharpur.

NHAI officials said it had been decided in principle to construct the underpass to substitute closure of the cut-point on national highway at the Sikharpur traffic crossing.

NHAI's manager (technical) Deba Prasad Sahoo said on Sunday that a Rs 17 crore underpass project at Sikharpur had already been approved and the construction process had begun.

"Bids have been already invited for construction of the underpass. The construction will start within a month," Sahoo said.

The Sikharpur traffic crossing is the converging point of the city's traffic from Mahanadi Vihar, Nayabazar and Chauliaganj on the eastern side of the highway and Gandarpur, Sikharpur and Jobra on the western side of the national highway.

The Traffic Management Committee for Cuttack had felt it necessary to close the Sikharpur cut-point on the national highway to but a check of the accidents happening there. Between 40 and 50 accidents were being reported from there every month, say official reports.

Assistant commissioner of police (traffic) P.K. Dalai said: "A proposal was submitted to the NHAI for construction of the underpass after the people living in the vicinity opposed the cut-point closure."

The closure of the cut-point was opposed on the ground that around 20,000 people on both sides of the highway would have to travel between one and two kilometres to cross the road.

"After finalising the tender process and awarding of work order, a one-year deadline has been fixed for construction of the underpass," the manager (technical) of NHAI said.

Sources said the bids received for execution of the vehicular underpass project would be opened on June 12.

A member of the Sikharpur-Gandarpur Puja Committee said: "We are happy that the NHAI has approved construction of the vehicular underpass before closure of the cut-point at the traffic crossing on the national highway."