The first phase of the much awaited Bhubaneswar metro rail will cover a distance of around 26 kilometers. As per the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the metro rail project will have 20 stations in the 26-kilometre stretch.
The areas to be covered include Biju Patnaik airport, Capital Hospital, Sishu Bhawan, Bapuji Nagar, Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Ram Mandir Square, Vani Vihar, Acharya Vihar, Jaydev Vihar, Xavier Square, Rail Sadan, Damana Square, Patia Square, KIIT Square, Nandan Vihar, Raghunathpur, Nandankanan Zoological Park, Phulapokhari and Trishulia Square (Cuttack).
It is pertinent to mention here that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik sanctioned the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project on the occasion of Odisha Dibasa on April 1, 2023.
The Metro rail project was covered under the 5T mandate connecting Bhubaneswar airport and Trishulia in Cuttack. There are plans to extend the metro rail project to Khordha, Puri, and other areas of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack cities.
The Odisha government roped in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) of the metro rail project.
The Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) was subsequently notified on August 3, 2023, and its Chief Executive Officer and General Manager (Administration) have been appointed.
“The DRMC after conducting a traffic survey, geotechnical investigation, topographic survey, environmental and social impact assessments, completed the DPR and submitted it to the Chief Secretary on August 16 in the meeting of the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation,” the state government said in a release.