Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Project Phase 1 Receives Green Light from Odisha Cabinet

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet granted an extension of approval for the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project on Tuesday. Chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the Cabinet gave the green light to the detailed project report for phase I of the metro rail initiative.

The approved metro route, stretching from Trisulia Square to Bhubaneswar Airport, carries an estimated cost of Rs 5,929.38 crore. The entire financial burden will be borne by the state government, which has already allocated Rs 210 crore in the Supplementary Budget for the current fiscal year.

Scheduled for a groundbreaking ceremony on January 1, 2024, the project will be initiated under the aegis of the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation. This fully state-owned entity, established under the Companies Act, is already operational.

To ensure the swift selection of an executing agency for the project, a high-level committee, headed by the Development Commissioner, has been formed. Commencing soon, the construction of the Bhubaneswar Metro aims for completion within 48 months.