ODISHA (Metro Rail & Steel): The Odisha government has appointed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as the consultant for the phase-I construction of the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Project. This substantial project, estimated at Rs 5,929 crore, will witness DMRC providing consultancy services for a fee of Rs 326 crore, as confirmed by an official statement.
The project’s execution will be undertaken through the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, a fully-owned entity of the Odisha government. While the state has already enlisted experts for this venture, direct supervision will be managed under the aegis of the chief minister’s office, as per official sources.
Spanning 26 kilometers from Bhubaneswar Airport to Trisulia Square, the phase-I aims for completion within four years. The Odisha cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, endorsed this metro rail project during its recent session. Notably, the Patnaik government has committed to shouldering the entire cost of the metro project in Bhubaneswar and its adjacent regions.
A senior government official highlighted the decision to engage DMRC as a strategic move, considering its successful operation of the metro project in the national capital and extensive experience in this domain. Emphasizing the project’s objectives, the official stated its role in fortifying the public transport system within the capital region and propelling economic growth.
The Odisha government had earlier collaborated with DMRC to prepare the detailed project report, which received Patnaik’s approval in October. The chief minister is scheduled to inaugurate the metro project by laying its foundation stone on January 1, 2024, ahead of the impending general and assembly polls in the state.
Notably, the initiative to introduce metro services in Bhubaneswar had its genesis in 2014 under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik. However, initial attempts faced challenges when a Hyderabad-based consultancy, Balaji Railroad Systems Limited (BARSYL), deemed a full-scale metro unfeasible in Bhubaneswar due to the region’s low population and high project costs. BARSYL recommended the inclusion of additional areas to render the project more viable.
