Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project not cancelled, says Minister in Odisha Assembly

Amid growing uncertainty over the future of the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project, the Odisha government on Tuesday clarified that the ambitious urban transport initiative has not been cancelled but is currently under review.

In a written reply in the State Assembly, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra informed that an inter-Ministerial Committee has been constituted to examine the project in detail. The government will take a final decision only after the committee submits its report and recommendations.

The Minister further revealed that a total of Rs 277.36 crore has already been spent on the project so far. Of this, Rs 252.05 crore has been released after June 12, 2024, indicating that financial commitments continue despite the project being under scrutiny.

The Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Metro Rail project was announced with much fanfare in September 2023, envisioned as a transformative step towards easing traffic congestion and strengthening urban connectivity between the twin cities. The initial plan proposed a metro corridor stretching from Bhubaneswar airport to Trisulia Square near Cuttack.

Also Read: Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project future in limbo as Odisha govt considers BMRCL staff layoffs!

Speculation about the project’s future had been mounting in recent months amid delays and a lack of visible progress on the ground. The government’s latest clarification aims to put an end to doubts, even as the final green signal now depends on the Committee’s evaluation.