By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi has written (Letter No. Q.D./MPAS/2026/6387) to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi requsting him to reconsideration of State Cabinet decision regarding stoppage of Metro Rail Project for Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas.
MP Aparajita Sarangi Letter’s Content and Timing, seen as a Strong Pushback within the BJP-led Government in Odisha .
The letter was written just four days after the Odisha State Cabinet’s decision on 4 April 2026 to scrap/shelve the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Project and terminate the agreement with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
Approximately Rs 274 crore had already been spent from the state exchequer. Sarangi, who has long advocated for the project (including a 2022 letter to the previous CM Naveen Patnaik and a site visit to BMRPL in November 2024), argues that the abrupt closure ignores public sentiment, long-term urban needs, and economic benefits. She has also personally spoken to the CM about it .
The project was envisioned as a modern, electric, high-capacity mass rapid transit system covering Bhubaneswar and adjoining areas (Cuttack, Jatni, Khurda) to address rapid urbanization, traffic congestion, and future population growth.
Sarangi highlights Bhubaneswar’s rapid urbanization, traffic pressure, and the need for sustainable public transport. She notes the project is at a “tipping point” and reiterates her past support.
Population & Urban Growth Justification: Projected population growth and urban expansion (including the joining of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Khurda) fully support the need for a Metro. The combined population is expected to exceed standard thresholds.
Economic & Investment Angle: Positioning Bhubaneswar as an investor-friendly and tourist hub (e.g., easy access to Lingaraj Temple, Khandagiri-Udayagiri, Dhauli, Nandankanan Zoo, ISKCON Temple) requires a modern transport system to support the government’s “Viksit Odisha” vision. It would catalyze economic activity, jobs, and quality of life.
Capital City Leadership: A capital should lead, not lag. Metro Rail operates in 18 cities (including Tier-2), is under construction in 16, and in planning in 12. She encloses a list of 34 such cities (categorized A/B/C). Not all meet the 20-25 lakh population norm, yet they have Metros. Bhubaneswar and the region should not be deprived.
Financial Prudence: Rs 274 crore already spent. Shelving it would incur incidental expenses and lead to massive cost escalation (2-4 times the current estimate) if revived in 10-15 years.
Public Interest Over Profit: Indian Metros are not profit-driven; all are subsidized by state governments for larger public good. She references the Hon’ble President of India’s 79th Independence Day address praising Metros as solutions to urbanization challenges—Odisha’s own state should not be deprived.
The Metro is not just transport—it is a catalyst for job creation, economic stimulation, urban development, and sustainable living. Shelving it misses “multiplier effects” and is “counter-intuitive” when the world is moving toward clean, electric mobility.
The letter ends on a collaborative note, offering to facilitate central approvals and funding support.
Letter’s content and timing, seen as a strong pushback within the BJP-led government. Sarangi has emphasized “visible public support” for the project and warned that ignoring it could affect trust in development promises.
This is an intra-party appeal from a sitting BJP MP to the BJP CM for reconsideration of a major infrastructure decision. No response from the CM’s office has been publicly detailed yet (as of 10 April 2026), but the issue is now in active public and political discussion.
