Bhubaneswar: Odisha government will urge the centre to conduct a fresh survey for metro rail service in the state, Housing and urban Development minister Pratap Jena told the state assembly today.
Mr.Jena agreed to the demand of the members who ,irrespective of their party affiliations, requested the government to approach the centre for another survey of metro rail extending the service beyond the twin cities of Bhubaneswar- Cuttack.
Replying to a question of Mr Suresh Routray (Cong), the Minister said the state has no proposal to introduce metro rail service between the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack since a survey conducted in 2014 stated that considering the population and other aspects the metro rail project in twin cities is not feasible.
Mr Jena said both the central and the state government at a meeting in 2013 had agreed to conduct a feasibility survey for the proposed metro rail project.The Union government, he said, had even provided Rs 12.61 lakh for conducting the survey.
Later, the state government entrusted Balaji Railroad System Ltd to conduct the survey. The company in association with DOHWA Engineering Co Ltd of South Korea conducted the survey which maintained that the project would be not feasible.
The government ,he said has asked the companies to conduct a survey again and submit a report by extending the area of the proposed project from Bhubaneswar to Jatni .
The minister said a resurvey also suggested that a full scale metro service is not possible before 2041.The state government then decided not to go ahead with the project.
The Minister , however , agreed to request the Union government to conduct a survey again after several members irrespective of their party affiliations demanded for it.
The members suggested that the proposed project be extended from Cuttack to Chandikhol and from Bhubaneswar to Puri and accordingly a survey be conducted,to which the minister agreed.