First Tender Floated, Work On Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Likely Soon

Work on the much-awaited Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project is likely to begin in the next few months.

This comes in the backdrop of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) floating the first tender on 24 January for the construction work of Bhubaneswar metro depot cum workshop.

The Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) — a fully-owned company of the state government — which is overseeing the mega project has enlisted the DMRC as a turn-key consultant for the first phase of the metro rail project.

As part of procedure, the DMRC will soon invites other tenders which includes civil work order for construction of stations and viaducts.

It may be recalled that as a New Year's gift to Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on 1 January had laid the foundation stone for the state’s first metro rail project that would link the state capital, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

The Rs 6,225.94 crore Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project will connect Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar with Trisulia Square near Cuttack in the first phase, covering a distance of 26 km.

As per the DPR (detailed project report), the entire alignment of the first phase will be on an elevated structure and run on the median or side of the existing roads, with 20 stations.

The 20 stations are Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), Capital Hospital, Sishu Bhawan, Bapuji Nagar, Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Ram Mandir Square, Vani Vihar, Acharya Vihar Square, Jaydev Vihar Square, Xavier Square, Rail Sadan, District Centre, Damana Square, Patia Square, KIIT Square, Nandan Vihar, Raghunathpur, Nanadankanan Zoological Park, Phulapokhari and Trisulia Square.

The central depot of the project will be located near Trisulia Square where the command and control centre as well as the maintenance and stabling facilities for the metro trains will be constructed.

Significantly, the state government will entirely fund the metro rail project, covering the entire project cost of Rs 6,000 crore.

As per the schedule, the rail project will be completed in four years and will provide an easy transport facility from Bhubaneswar airport to Cuttack via Trishulia and strengthen urban mobility in the state.