Sunabeda: Under Bharatmala project, the Union government is constructing a highway from Raipur to Visakhapatnam at a cost of about Rs 16,000 crore.
The project includes the construction of a six-lane road spanning nearly 465 km. Of this, 124 km of road has been built in Koraput district at an expenditure of Rs 4,600 crore.
In Shunki area under Pottangi block, two state-of-the-art tunnels are being built, which will become the tallest in Odisha. The tunnels measure 3.42 km in width and 2.8 km in length.
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Once completed, the project will ease traffic congestion between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Locals say it will save time for travellers heading to Visakhapatnam during emergencies. The tunnels are being built along Eastern Ghats at Shunki valley in Koraput district, at an altitude of nearly 3,000 ft above sea level.
Locals believe the location will attract tourists. Authorities have indicated the work will be completed by the end of the year. For the road construction, 873 ha private land, 307 ha government land and 363 ha forest land have been acquired in Koraput and Nabarangpur districts.
The plan provides for a 35-metre-wide road through forest areas and a 60-metre-wide road in non-forest zones. The tunnel route from Odisha to Andhra Pradesh begins near Baraj village in Chandaka and ends at Kandili, while the tunnel from Andhra Pradesh to Odisha starts at Kuruli and ends at Amphabali village. The project is expected to strengthen the district’s economy and boost tourism potential, according to local sources.
PNN
