BHUBANESWAR: With Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik set to lay the foundation stone for Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project on January 1, the first phase operations will commence in four years, the state government said on Sunday.Chairman of 5T and Nabin Odisha VK Pandian reviewed the progress of the project and asked officials to complete the preparatory work before the foundation laying ceremony.
He said the DPR for the project has been approved by the state government at a cost of `5,929 crore. The project cost will be fully borne by the state government. The government has made a provision of `210 crore for the project in the first supplementary budget for 2023-24.
In phase-I, the project will connect Biju Patnaik International Airport with Trisulia square via Chandrasekharpur, Jayadev Vihar, Vani Vihar, Master Canteen and Rajmahal Square. Pandian discussed and facilitated decisions for timely commencement of the construction of the project, a release from the CMO said. The chief minister had announced the project on April 1 this year.
A master plan for extending the metro rail service to other areas of Bhubaneswar and Khurda, Puri and Cuttack towns is being prepared by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited. Trisulia is going to emerge a major traffic hub to serve Bhubaneswar and Cuttack cities as well as gateway to the twin city from Banki and Athagarh.
The central depot of the Metro Rail project will be located near Trisulia Square where the command and control centre as well as the maintenance and stabling facilities for the trains will be constructed.
A bus stand is also being constructed at Trisulia square, which will be further expanded and integrated with the metro station.
Pandian said the metro system should leverage the latest technologies and most advanced equipment to provide efficient mobility solution to passengers. He asked officials to ensure other modes of transport are aligned with metro rail stoppages for seamless movement of passengers.
Pandian also made a surprise visit to the newly constructed Cuttack Netaji Bus Terminal (CNBT) to get feedback from people while inspecting the cleanliness and other amenities. He interacted with passengers, vendors, service providers, bus operators and other staff and asked officials to further strengthen integrated information management system which will enhance passenger experience and their hassle-free movement. The 5T chairman also visited the revamped Taladanda canal.