BHUBANESWAR: The cabinet on Tuesday approved the first phase detail project report (DPR) of the Bhubaneswar metro rail project with an estimated cost of Rs 5,929.38 crore. The first phase will cover the route from Bhubaneswar Airport to Trishulia square in Cuttack.
The cabinet presided by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik cleared the engagement of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited as the turnkey consultant with a fee of Rs 326.56 crore including taxes. It was decided that the project will be constructed by Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation Limited within a period of four years.
The chief minister had sanctioned the first phase of the project on April 1, 2023. The length of the project from Bhubaneswar airport to Trisulia square will be 26 km. There will be 20 metro stations including at Capital Hospital, Rajmahal square, Vani Vihar, Jaydev Vihar and Patia.Chief secretary PK Jena told mediapersons that metro track and stations will be on elevated viaducts. Ultramodern coaches will be deployed with advanced ticketing and signalling systems, he said.
The cabinet also approved ‘Ama Hospital’, a transformative initiative under 5T, for strengthening public health infrastructure to promote improved standards of care and wellbeing of patients. Provision of Rs 3,388.73 crore for the scheme was cleared for five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
The chief secretary said the initiative will transform all public health facilities at DHH, SDH, CHC and PHC level. It will be implemented across all the 1,858 health facilities in a phased manner. In the first year, 149 health facilities will be strengthened.
The major components of the scheme include more drug distribution counters for quick dispensing of medicines, paved internal road with sheds for quick link within various departments and attendant rest shed during hospitalisation of patients.
The cabinet extended the state capital region improvement in power system (SCRIPS) scheme till 2024-25 with additional provision of Rs 469.39 crore. SCRIPS was approved in 2015-16 with an outlay of Rs 1,492.07 crore for expansion of transmission and distribution infrastructure in the capital region. The scheme is being implemented under the umbrella scheme CM Power Development Programme for power infrastructure in the state.