New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The much-anticipated Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project appears to be in a state of uncertainty, as the Central Government has not yet received any formal proposal from the Odisha Government regarding its execution.

This was revealed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday by Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, while responding to a query raised by TDP MP Sribharat Mathukumilli. The MP had sought details about metro projects currently under implementation, funding allocations, and new proposals received over the past five years.

In his reply, the Minister clarified that while the Centre has sanctioned 17 metro rail proposals from various states during the said period, no proposal has been submitted by the Odisha Government for the Bhubaneswar Metro project.

“Urban planning is a State subject. The responsibility for planning, developing, and integrating urban transport systems lies with the respective State Governments. As per the Metro Rail Policy, 2017, the Central Government considers financial assistance based on feasibility and availability of resources—only when proposals are submitted by State Governments or Union Territories,” the Minister informed the Lower House.

The revelation raises questions about the current status of the ambitious metro project, first announced by the previous BJD government led by Naveen Patnaik on Utkal Dibas (April 1), 2023, as a major step toward boosting urban mobility in the state capital.

On January 1, 2024, the then Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the project’s first phase at Ratagada near Trisulia in Cuttack. A budgetary allocation of Rs. 1,000 crore was made in the 2024-25 Vote-on-Account for the same. The Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation had also signed an MoU with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to execute the project, with a completion target of four years.

Following the change in power in Odisha in 2024, the new BJP-led government assured the public that the metro project would continue, with potential plans for expansion. On July 16 this year, Deputy Chief Minister K.V. Singh Deo chaired a high-level meeting to review a revised blueprint for the proposed rail system.

However, the latest clarification from the Centre indicates that the Odisha Government has yet to formally initiate the process by submitting the necessary proposal, thereby casting doubts over the project’s immediate future.

Details of Metro rail proposals received and sanctioned during last 5 years and current FY: 

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