Bhubaneswar: The much-anticipated metro rail project for Bhubaneswar remains a key part of the city’s future urban transport plans, but the immediate focus is on easing traffic congestion through the construction of the Bhubaneswar Region Ring Road, said Public Enterprises Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, Dr. Mahapatra acknowledged the challenges faced during the earlier metro project’s testing phase, which led to significant traffic disruptions and inconvenience for commuters. He explained that the metro construction is a long-term endeavor that could take several years, making it impractical to shut down major roads for extended periods.
“To address the present traffic woes, our government has prioritised the ring road project, which has recently received approval from the Central government. This 110.875 km six-lane access-controlled ring road will connect Khordha, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack and is expected to significantly reduce congestion in the region,” said the minister.
The ring road project, estimated at Rs 8,307.74 crore, will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).
Dr. Mahapatra added that a technical team has been conducting detailed studies for the metro project and once their report is finalised and submitted, the state government will coordinate with the Centre for the metro’s further progress.
While the metro remains essential for Bhubaneswar’s future, the minister refrained from giving a specific timeline for its implementation.
“The metro is definitely on the cards, but right now, the ring road is our immediate priority to ease the city’s traffic burden,” he said.
