Construction work commenced for Bhubaneswar Metro Phase 1 Project

Bhubaneswar, India (Metro Rail Today): The Bhubaneswar Metro Phase 1 project has officially kicked off with the commencement of construction work on the Metro depot, planned at Phulapokhari near Barang in Cuttack. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (DMRC), overseeing the project, has commenced construction of the depot's boundary wall, marking the beginning of tangible progress. The boundary wall, which comes with a price tag of Rs 9 crore, is scheduled to be completed within 12 months as per the tender specifications.

Spanning 16 hectares of land, the depot near Phulapokhari Metro station carries an estimated cost of ₹104.74 crore. Once the boundary wall is in place, the construction of the depot's infrastructure, including civil and electrical components, will promptly follow at the site.

These developments mark the fruition of the first two tenders issued for the ambitious project back in December of the preceding year, with finalizations made in the current month. The groundwork commenced a few days ago, signaling a tangible step forward. A senior official from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) said, "Construction of the boundary wall for the depot has started. Work on the depot will begin simultaneously with a completion deadline of 36 months."

In tandem with these initial steps, the DMRC has floated three additional tenders for the construction of Metro stations along the proposed line stretching from Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar to Trisulia in Cuttack. The BDA official further elaborated that the comprehensive Metro project aims for completion within four years, necessitating the concurrent issuance of tenders for various project components. "Alongside the depot, construction activities for the stations will commence shortly," the official affirmed.

The Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Project Phase 1 is an extensive 26.024 km-long network that will seamlessly connect Trisulia Square with Biju Patnaik Airport, featuring a total of 20 elevated stations along its route. The project's Detailed Project Report (DPR), meticulously prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), received approval from Odisha's state government on November 14, 2023, with a targeted completion deadline of four years. According to approved DPR, the estimated cost of Bhubaneswar Metro Phase 1 Project is ₹6,225 crore.