Odisha unveils underground metro project to ease Bhubaneswar’s traffic woes

By Sukant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, May 25: In a significant move to tackle Bhubaneswar’s mounting traffic congestion, the Odisha government has announced plans for an ambitious underground metro rail system. The proposed metro line will connect Patia to the new CRP Road, aiming to resolve existing transportation bottlenecks in the rapidly growing city.

Odisha works minister Prithviraj Harichandan, speaking on Sunday, said the landmark project is targeted for completion by 2025. In addition, to further improve urban mobility, a new ring road encircling Bhubaneswar is scheduled to be ready by 2027.

The minister also confirmed plans for widening the road from Acharya Vihar to Patia, a move expected to improve accessibility and significantly reduce travel time for commuters across key city corridors.

“These projects reflect the state government’s commitment to modernising Bhubaneswar’s transport infrastructure and addressing the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation,” said minister Harichandan.

Highlighting the metro rail project, he added, “The alignment of the metro system will be fully underground within Bhubaneswar. The Chief Minister has already instructed the concerned department, and work is underway.”

Further elaborating on the state’s vision for systematic urban growth, the minister said, “We’ve planned both an inner and outer ring road to ensure balanced development of Bhubaneswar. The outer ring road will cover areas including Khordha, Jatni, and Trisulia. Additionally, a Capital Region Ring Road will also be developed.”

These infrastructure initiatives mark a decisive step towards transforming Bhubaneswar into a modern, well-connected, and commuter-friendly city.