Odisha Govt Scraps Bhubaneswar Metro Tender Over Viability Issues

30 Jul 2025 CW Team

The Bhubaneswar Metro, a 26-km project connecting Bhubaneswar Airport to Trisulia near the Orissa High Court in Cuttack, was estimated at Rs 63 billion and envisioned to include 20 stations. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was engaged to implement the project, with tenders floated and groundwork initiated.

However, following the change in government, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra announced the cancellation of the tender, stating that “the metro project initiated by the previous government wouldn’t have been viable.”

He said an inter-ministerial committee has been formed to re-evaluate the project’s feasibility and submit a fresh proposal. The BJP-led administration also plans to work in coordination with the central government to ensure long-term sustainability and success.

Phase 1 was designed with elevated viaducts and was targeted for completion by 2027, with future extensions planned to Puri, Khurda, and Cuttack.

The cancellation has sparked criticism from former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who said the "double-engine government has betrayed the people of Odisha by cancelling an important project like Metro Rail." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Patnaik added, “It has always been our dream to develop #Bhubaneswar into a world-class city,” citing investments in sports infrastructure, international events, and the IT sector.

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