Bhubaneswar, Nov. 17: Work for the much-awaited Rajmahal flyover underpass has begun with the public works department (PWD) felling trees in Bapuji Nagar.

The underpass, which will be 1,170 metres long, will have four lanes (two lanes on each side of a median), drainage and street lights. Already 39-metre of the structure exists. So, the work will be taken up for the remaining 1,131 metres.

The division II of the works department in the city is preparing a document to sign an agreement with the lowest bidder within a week's time. The project is likely to cost Rs 25-30 crore. The bidding process was over in September.

PWD executive engineer (division II) P.K. Patra said: "The underpass will start from near the Peter England showroom in Ashok Nagar to the SBI personnel banking division at Bapuji Nagar."

However, the work order for felling trees on the Bapuji Nagar median has invited criticism from the members of the Prerana Group, which promotes plantation. They also staged a protest near the site today where trees are being chopped off.

Dillip Srichandan, convener of the green group, said: "The city is gradually turning into a concrete jungle as age-old trees are being mercilessly felled. Major roads such as Janpath, both sides of NH-5 from Palasuni to Jatni, NH-203 between Rasulgarh and Samantarapur had witnessed large-scale felling deforestation. Since 2005 the city has lost around 9,000 trees to development."

Assistant engineer P.K. Acharya, however, said funds had been allocated to compensate for the loss of trees. The Rajmahal flyover, constructed at a cost of Rs 32 crore, was inaugurated on October 17, 2012, two years after its deadline.

"The PWD authorities should have constructed the underpass in 2012, but now they have to spend additional money on it," said a resident Manoj Ray.

PWD chief engineer (roads) B.C. Pradhan, however, said during the underpass facilitation work, the traffic movement would not be affected and commuters would not face any problem.