BHUBANESWAR: Around 92.5 acre land including 34 acre private land will be acquired for implementation of Phase I metro project in the capital region.
Reviewing progress of the project at Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) office here on Saturday, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said out of 92.5 acre permanent land required for the project, around 77 acre have already been acquired while steps are underway for acquisition of remaining 15 acre.
She said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), engaged as the turnkey consultant for execution of the project, also requires around 54 acre land temporarily to set up casting yard, storage yard and for other purposes. While 40 acre land has already been allotted, permission for handing over of the remaining area is under process.
In the first phase, the project will connect Bhubaneswar airport with Trisulia in Cuttack through 20 stations. Ten stations will come up in Bhubaneswar North constituency, three in Ekamra Bhubaneswar constituency and four in Bhubaneswar Central constituency. Three stations will also come up in Cuttack, Sarangi informed.
“We have suggested that the architectural design of the stations should be in line with Odisha’s rich culture and heritage,” she said. The 26-km-long elevated corridor will be readied by December 2027 at an investment of Rs 6,255.94 crore.
BMRC officials said while around Rs 460 crore including Rs 250 crore released this October has already been spent for the project work, the state government will release another Rs 350 crore by March 2025. While work of the metro depot and casting yard has already been started at Ratagada and Malipada on the city outskirts, soil testing is in progress and 10 per cent of it has also been completed, they added.
The structural and architectural designing of stations and those of viaducts and pier is also in progress.