Odisha Govt to Revamp Bhubaneswar Metro Plan, Forms Expert Panel.

The Odisha government is set to overhaul the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project, citing the unsuitability and impracticality of the previous plan. Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra announced recently that a new technical committee will be formed to draft a fresh proposal.

The committee will be comprised of officials from the department and metro rail experts. "We have reviewed the metro project and made some important decisions," Mahapatra stated. "A committee with the department secretary and other members will be formed, which will provide plans for the new route and other modalities for the project."

The minister criticized the previous plan, originally designed under the BJD government, calling its proposed route "not suitable." He highlighted that even minor soil testing for the old project caused significant traffic disruption, raising concerns about its feasibility.

The new committee is tasked with studying best practices from other cities to ensure the new plan is efficient and effective. Mahapatra confirmed that the revamped proposal will be sent to the Centre for approval, as the project will be executed under a Centre-state partnership.

The Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project has seen several changes under the current BJP government, including plans to extend the route to the Orissa High Court and the possibility of an underground metro line.