TNI Bureau: In a strongly worded letter, BJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Sasmit Patra has urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to reconsider the decision to scrap the proposed Odisha Metro project.
Citing the recent Union Cabinet approval of Jaipur Metro Phase 2 under a 50:50 Centre-State funding model, Patra presents a compelling argument for reviving Odisha’s metro under a similar framework.
He highlights that Odisha’s metro, estimated at ₹6,255 crore, is significantly smaller than Jaipur’s ₹13,000+ crore project, making it financially viable if restructured through shared funding and viability gap financing. Patra frames this as not just a transport project but a “critical mobility and economic backbone,” emphasizing benefits like reduced congestion, improved connectivity, and economic growth along the Puri–Khurda–Bhubaneswar–Cuttack corridor.
The letter subtly questions the state’s earlier decision to abandon the project, suggesting policy inconsistency.
While the appeal is rooted in logic and precedent, it also reflects a broader political push to align Odisha’s infrastructure ambitions with national models.
Ultimately, Patra’s intervention reignites debate: is Odisha missing an opportunity, or exercising fiscal caution?
