Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra has written to Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal, seeking immediate central intervention to prevent the scrapping of the proposed Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project and facilitate its revival under national policy frameworks.
In the letter dated April 6, Patra described the project—originally envisioned during the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government as a “critical mass transit backbone” for the Bhubaneswar–Cuttack–Khurda–Puri corridor, essential for improving urban mobility and supporting economic growth in the region. He argued that abandoning it would undermine a well-planned infrastructure initiative and deprive the people of Odisha of a vital lifeline for sustainable transport.
Patra emphasised that governance is a continuous process and major public interest projects should not be discontinued arbitrarily. He noted that the metro initiative was entirely state-funded under the previous regime and highlighted provisions in the National Urban Transport Policy and the Metro Rail Policy 2017, which allow for 50:50 Centre-State equity participation through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), central assistance, and Viability Gap Funding (VGF). These mechanisms, he said, ensure that states need not abandon metro projects due to fiscal constraints.
“I urge your Ministry to prevail upon the Government of Odisha not to scrap the project and facilitate its implementation through a 50:50 cost-sharing arrangement or equivalent support. This is essential to uphold national policy, ensure continuity in infrastructure development, and protect the long-term interests of the people of Odisha,” Patra wrote, requesting urgent action.
The Metro, proposed at a cost of ₹6,255.94 crore, was to connect Biju Patnaik airport in Bhubaneswar with Trisulia near Cuttack.
The appeal came a day after the Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, decided to terminate the agreement with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and formally scrap the project in its current form. The decision followed recommendations from an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), which cited non-compliance with the National Metro Rail Policy 2017, below-threshold traffic demand, and low ridership projections that could lead to heavy operational los
ses.
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The cabinet approved retrospective expenditure of ₹273.51 crore incurred on the project until December 31, 2025. It also decided to repurpose the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) as a nodal agency for planning and implementing sustainable urban mobility initiatives across the state, including collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a Comprehensive Mobility Plan covering the broader Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradeep region.
The move has sparked strong political reactions. BJD leaders have criticised the BJP-led state government, accusing it of lacking vision and politically motivated reversal of a key initiative started under the previous regime.
However, Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan reiterated the state’s commitment to eventually introducing a metro system in the capital but made it clear that any progress would depend on a thorough feasibility assessment and the completion of a comprehensive mobility plan. He warned against hasty decisions driven by short-term political considerations, noting that proceeding under current conditions could result in annual losses ranging from Rs 1,000 to 2,000 crore.
“The government is committed to a metro system, but there is no need to rush into the project merely for electoral gains while incurring heavy recurring losses,” Harichandan stated while addressing the media. He added that the project has been kept on hold to prevent unnecessary expenditure.
The minister criticised the previous administration’s handling of the initiative, describing the earlier agreement as a “faulty contract” with an unsuitable alignment. He pointed out that the prior government had advanced the project without securing central government involvement, unlike metro initiatives in other cities that typically operate under a Centre-State partnership model.
He clarified that the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation will continue to exist and the project will be taken up in a scientific and structured manner once the mobility plan is finalised. The minister said any future rollout will align with the city’s growth and has the backing of the Chief Minister and the state Cabinet.
The Bhubaneswar Metro project, which had seen preparatory work including a Detailed Project Report (DPR), has been a point of contention since the change of government in 2024. Earlier steps, such as tender cancellations in 2025, had already signalled a review, with the government citing viability issues at multiple stages.