Bhubaneswar: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, today criticized the state government over the cancellation of tender for the much-anticipated Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project.

Patnaik, a five-time former Chief Minister, alleged that the double-engine government (BJP governments at the Centre and Odisha) has betrayed the people of the state by cancelling the tender for the metro rail project.

“The shocking decision by the double-engine government will push the city to 10 years back,” claimed Patnaik, the president of Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

According to Patnaik, the successive BJD governments in the state always had a dream to develop Bhubaneswar into a world-class city. The BJD governments had been focusing of world-class sports infrastructure, organizing marque international events, providing seamless modern transport and developing IT ecosystem to transform the capital city, he said.

“Bhubaneswar Rail Project would have reshaped the city moves with the Mo Bus and other last mile connectivity complementing the city transport. Apart from alleviating congestion inside the city significantly, it would have been a huge catalyst for expansion of Bhubaneswar,” stated Patnaik.

It is worth mentioning here that the state government has recently terminated the tender awarded to Ceigall India Limited and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) for the execution of the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project.

This comes a day after the Centre informed the Parliament that it has not received any proposal for the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project from Odisha government.

Notably, the plan for the metro rail project in the capital city had been conceived during the last term of the BJD government in the state.

The first phase of the project, connecting Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) with Trishulia near Cuttack city, was supposed to be completed by 2027.