With the elections in the air, the State Government on Saturday rolled out the ambitious Urban Infrastructure Development Projects (UIDP) covering five urban centres such as Sambalpur, Baripada, Rourkela, Brahmapur and Bhubaneswar worth Rs 2,600 crore.
After a high-level meeting to review the UIDPs held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Urban Development Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said that it was decided to introduce Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Bhubaneswar to ensure hassle free passenger movement through dedicated line. The BRTS project cost has been estimated at Rs 459 crore.
Stating that the project has been approved by a State-level screening committee for funding under the JNNURM, Mishra said that the proposed project would cover a length of around 31-km consisting of nine corridors with 46 BRTS stations. While the Central Government would provide 80 per cent of the total project cost, the State Government would bear the rest of the amount, he said.
In order to meet the growing passenger traffic between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the Urban Development Minister said that it was also decided to put up Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) connecting the two cities with Central assistance. Giving the details of the project, Mishra said that the Housing and Urban Development department had already got the in- principle approval from the Government of India to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the MRTS between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar covering approximately a distance of 30 km.
He said that the State Government had already roped in Hyderabad-based Balaji Railway Transport System as the consultant to prepare the DPR. The State Government has provided Rs 2.52 crore towards preparation of the DPR, he said. The Minister said that as per the project’s financing structure, both the Union Government and State Government would share 50 per cent each towards the project cost.
Highlighting other urban infrastructure projects to be implemented in the four urban centers, Mishra said that under the water supply scheme, while Rs 90 crore would be spent in Cuttack, Rs 78 crore for Rourkela, Rs 10 crore for Choudwar, Rs 416 crore for Brahmapur and its adjoining areas- Aska and Hinjili, Rs 54 crore for Baripada and Rs 38.31 crore for Sambalpur would be spent. He said that for under sewerage system while Rs 437 crore would be spent in Sambalpur, Rs 555 crore would be spent in Rourkela and Rs 187 crore in Bhubaneswar.