Bhubaneswar, Aug. 6: Bridge then, underpass now.

Nearly three years after inauguration of the Rajmahal flyover, the public works department is set to construct a Rs 41-crore underpass connecting Master Canteen with Sishu Bhavan Square.

The underground road plan, however, has raised questions among residents and commuters.

"The authorities should have built the underpass in 2012 at one go, but now again they have to spend more money with the rising cost of materials and also cause inconvenience to people," said resident Bijay Mishra.

Speaking on the issue, chief engineer (roads) B.C. Pradhan told The Telegraph: "The work will not affect traffic movement."

The flyover, built for Rs 32 crore, was inaugurated on October 17, 2012, two years after its original deadline. Its construction started in March 2009.

Pradhan said availability of funds had been a major obstacle in integrating the underpass during the flyover construction. The department, therefore, had to wait till now.

In February 2013 when Bijan Kumar Behera was the chief engineer (roads), he started the process and had asked the engineering division to initiate the estimation for the underpass.

After sealing the underpass in 2012, police and civic authorities had found that while only 30 per cent vehicles were taking the bridge route, more than 70 per cent used the stretch under the bridge. This compelled the works department to plan the underpass, which is expected to solve the traffic mess around the bridge.

The 1,170-metre-long underpass will have four lanes (two on each side of a median), drainage and street lights. The department has called for a tender, which will be opened on August 20. Once the tender is awarded, the work will get over in a year.

A senior engineer of the works department said that while the tender for the work involving the underpass would only involve the road passing through the tunnel under the flyover, in future, parking facilities would also be developed at Ashok Nagar and Bapuji Nagar.

Urban management expert Piyush Ranjan Rout said: "While developing the underpass road, the authorities should spare enough thought for pedestrians and cyclists. There should be foot overbridges to facilitate their movement."

Pedestrians have to resort to jaywalking on the stretch between Ashok Nagar and Bapuji Nagar due to the lack of a foot overbridge or passage.