The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has completed the construction of Chhattisgarh’s first national highway tunnel, a 2.79-km stretch forming part of the Raipur–Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor, in just 12 months, officials said on Sunday. Located beneath the hills along the Kanker–Kondagaon district border, close to the Odisha state line, the tunnel marks a major milestone in the state’s transport infrastructure development. According to NHAI officials, the completed section is the left-hand tunnel, while excavation work for the right-hand tunnel is expected to conclude by the end of 2025. The left tunnel will be open to traffic by March–April 2026, and the right tunnel is expected to be completed and operational by July–August 2026. Part of the 464-km, six-lane NH-130CD, the corridor is designed to reduce travel time between Raipur and Visakhapatnam, significantly improving trade, logistics, and inter-state connectivity between Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. “NHAI achieves a breakthrough with Chhattisgarh’s first national highway tunnel in just 12 months! The 2.79-km left-hand twin-tube tunnel along the Raipur–Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor marks a key milestone in India’s infrastructure growth,” the agency said in a statement. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the tunnel’s completion as a historic achievement, calling it a major step towards creating a prosperous and empowered Chhattisgarh. He said that road and transport infrastructure form the backbone of the state’s progress and that the new tunnel would open new avenues for tourism and socio-economic integration in the region. The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and the NHAI team, noting that the project aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat, paving the way for long-term growth and development. The Raipur–Visakhapatnam corridor is part of India’s larger effort to modernise national highway networks, strengthen economic corridors, and enhance regional connectivity across eastern and central India.