Bhubaneswar: On the occasion of Utkal Diwas, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the metro train project connecting Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri and Khurda.
The project has been studied by various stakeholders and feasibility reports prepared, he said.
“In the first phase, we will create the metro trunk route from Trisulia near Cuttack to Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar. The route will tentatively touch major landmarks such as Nandankanan, Patia, Vani Vihar, Railway Station and so on,” the Chief Minister announced.
As the project is starting from near Subash Bose Setu, it will enable the commuters from Cuttack to access important locations in Bhubaneswar. In later phases the metro will expand to Khurda and Puri, he stated.
The Chief Minister has asked the Housing and Urban Development Department to complete the detailed project report (DPR) on a war footing. The project will be predominantly based on elevated corridors and will be entirely funded by the State Government, he added.
“We have always strived to push boundaries and improve the lives of our people. And today, with the announcement of this new project, we are taking another step towards a New Odisha to provide best in class metro services for the people of the State,” Shri Patnaik said.
Equipped with state-of-art facilities, the metro rail project will not only offer world-class, environment friendly urban transport for an emerging and aspirational Odisha but also spur economic activities and accelerate expansion of our urban city cluster covering Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri and Khurda, he pointed out.
The CM further said the emergence of a modern and planned city cluster will attract people, investments, trade, and tourism like never before. This will be a truly transformational project implemented using the principles of 5T.
“This is the New Odisha we are aspiring to create as our humble tribute to the people and the creators of our beloved State of Odisha,” he said.
Extending warm greetings to everyone on the occasion of Odisha Diwas, the Chief Minister said, “It is a proud day for each one of us. On this memorable day, the long-cherished dream of every Odia became a reality. I offer my humble tributes to all those illustrious personalities without whom Odisha would not have become a reality.”
The relentless struggle of many great women and men will continue to inspire generations to come, he said.
True to the vision of the architects of modern Odisha, the State has seen rapid strides in development and emerged as a role model in many fields. Odisha is on the path of resurgence in many fields, Naveen said.
Stating that Odisha people have also excelled in multiple fields and made their mark across the world, the CM said, “Odisha synonymous with a rich cultural heritage is today also known for good governance, people centric administration, inclusivity, disaster management women’s empowerment, sporting excellence, world class skilling programmes, high socioeconomic indicators, great infrastructure, and so on, Odisha is on cusp of deep transformative change.”
State’s journey forward is guided by the great leaders who aspired and gave us the 1st linguistic state in 1936.
He quoted the great Biju Patnaik, saying, “In my dream of the 21st century for the state, I would have young men and women who put the interest of the state before them. They will have pride in themselves, confidence in themselves.”
With the blessings of such visionary forefathers, we need to dream big and work hard to become one of the most progressive States of the country, he added.
The CM concluded his speech with Vande Utkal Janani.