Bhubaneswar: The much-anticipated Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project is in the planning stages, Housing & Urban Development and Public Enterprises Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra clarified on Saturday.
The Odisha government has yet to submit any formal proposal to the Central Government, despite ongoing discussions about the project’s feasibility and execution.
“We are actively working on the development of the Bhubaneswar Metro. However, no official proposal has been sent to the Centre as of now. The project is expected to be implemented as a joint venture between the state and central governments. We will hold further meetings to finalise the plan and move forward accordingly,” said Minister Mahapatra while speaking to reporters.
The Minister also mentioned that an inter-ministerial sub-committee has been constituted to examine all aspects of the project.
“This committee will provide recommendations, which will guide our next steps. The project’s success depends heavily on support from the Centre and we cannot proceed without it,” he added.
He further stated that the state government is actively working to make the project feasible.
“Now, the current government is reevaluating the metro’s viability based on public benefit and urban development needs. The state team will take necessary steps in line with these findings,” he said.