Odisha Scraps Bhubaneswar Metro in Favor of Sustainable Mobility

The ambitious dream of a metro rail connecting the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has officially been derailed. In a landmark decision chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Odisha state cabinet has moved to scrap the existing agreement with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), signaling a radical shift in the state's approach to urban transit.

Despite the initial fanfare surrounding the ₹6,225 crore Phase-I project which was slated to cover 26 km from Biju Patnaik International Airport to Trisulia, the new administration cited several "red flags" that made the project unviable:

• Policy Non-Compliance: The project did not meet the stringent criteria set by the National Metro Rail Policy (2017).
• Low Ridership Projections: Data suggested traffic demand was below the necessary threshold to sustain such a massive investment.
• Financial Risk: Continuing the project risked "recurring annual operating losses," which the cabinet argued would be an imprudent use of public resources.

The state has approved ₹273.51 crore to cover expenses incurred up to December 31, 2025, effectively settling the accounts on the metro’s brief history.

While the metro tracks may not be laid, the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) isn't going away. Instead, it is being repurposed into a nodal agency for the state’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Transition Plan.

Chief Secretary Anu Garg emphasized that this move is a strategic pivot toward the state’s long-term vision. With technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the government plans to develop a Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP). This plan aims to provide inclusive and financially viable transport solutions rather than a high-cost, low-yield metro system.

The decision has sparked a firestorm of criticism from the opposition:

The decision to put the metro project on hold will not only aggravate traffic problems but also hamper future investment prospects for the state capital. - Ananta Narayan Jena, BJD MLA

Congress leaders have also joined the fray, accusing the government of wasting the nearly ₹274 crore already spent and depriving citizens of a modern rapid transit system.

As Bhubaneswar continues to grow, the debate now shifts from how fast people can move to how sustainably the city can breathe. The government is betting that a flexible, regional approach will serve the people better than a rigid rail line but for commuters stuck in traffic today, the "new avatar" of BMRCL has a lot to prove.

Tags: Odisha, Bhubaneswar Metro Project, Vushii