Construction work on the concrete tunnel in Sambalpur city's Laxmi Dungri area, located on the National Highway (NH)-53 (Mumbai-Kolkata), is scheduled to begin in August this year. The purpose of this tunnel is to prevent disruptions in traffic caused by landslides.

K Nageswar Rao, the Project Director of the National Highways Authorities of India (NHAI) in Sambalpur, stated that the tunnel's plan and design will be finalised by the end of this month. The geotechnical survey, essential for the tunnel's construction, will commence shortly with the arrival of the survey team. The tunnel will be built on a section of the four-lane highway, specifically the part that runs along Laxmi Dungri.

The NHAI has secured a budget of Rs 37 crore for the tunnel project. Once the plan and design are prepared, the NHAI will seek consultation from IIT Bhubaneswar before finalising the details. The main objective of the tunnel is to enhance safety for passengers and vehicles traveling on NH-53 by minimising the risk of accidents caused by landslides in the Laxmi Dungri area.

If all goes according to plan, construction work on the tunnel is expected to commence by the end of August and be completed by December, according to Rao. Laxmi Dungri, situated on a hilltop within a reserve forest, frequently experiences landslides during the rainy season, resulting in traffic disruptions along NH-53. The vulnerable stretch spans approximately 700 meters.

The first landslide incident at Laxmi Dungri occurred in September 2007, causing over 17 hours of traffic disruption. Another significant landslide transpired in August 2017. Similarly, in August 2022, heavy rainfall triggered a landslide, blocking a section of the four-lane NH at Laxmi Dungri with boulders and debris. Most recently, on June 30, another landslide occurred in the same area.