Bhubaneswar: With a focus on strengthening infrastructure in the state, the Odisha government has proposed investment of Rs 21,004 crore under roads, bridges, airports and railways in the 2024-25 annual budget.
The budget, presented in the Assembly by Finance Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha on Thursday has proposed Rs 6194 crore for road development programme and Rs 100 crore for Biju Expressway.
An amount of Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated for the ambitious and much-awaited Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project in the Vote-on-Account 2024-25.
“Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated for Metro Rail project in the fiscal 2024-25,” Finance Minister while presenting the budget in the Assembly.
The government has also allocated Rs 700 crore for the development of other railway projects in the state.
Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had on April 1, 2023 approved the Metro rail project for Bhubaneswar connecting Biju Patnaik International Airport with Trishulia Square in Cuttack.
The foundation stone for the project was laid at Ratagarh near Trishulia on January 1, 2024, for the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project.
The project will be carried out with an expenditure of Rs 6,255 crore by the state government. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will execute the project as a turn-key consultant and charge a fee of Rs 326.56 crore.
The metro rail project is slated to be completed in four years for the people to avail the facility.
This apart, Rs.1191 crore has been allocated for Location accessible multimodal initiative (LACCMI) to facilitate assured and affordable transportation for the people across the state.
