Naveen Patnaik Slams Odisha Govt For ‘Shattering’ Bhubaneswar Metro Dream

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Naveen Patnaik on Saturday lashed out at the BJP government in Odisha over termination of contract for the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project.

Expressing shock and disappointment over termination of the contract, Naveen said that developing Bhubaneswar into a world-class city has always been a dream for his party.

Naveen, who is also the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly, said the Bhubaneswar Metro project would have transformed the city’s transportation system, addressed congestion and acted as a catalyst for city expansion. The project had a set timeline for Phase I to be completed by 2027.

Accusing the double-engine BJP government of betraying the people of Odisha by cancelling the project, the BJD supremo claimed that this decision would push the city back by ten years. The cancellation notice by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to contractors has confirmed the scrapping of the project.

“The double-engine government has betrayed the people of Odisha by cancelling an important project like Metro Rail. The shocking decision by double engine will push the city 10 years back,” the ex-CM said in a post on ‘X’.

The BJD chief reiterated his party’s focus on developing world-class sports infrastructure, organising international events, providing modern transportation, and creating a robust IT ecosystem to transform Bhubaneswar into a world-class city.