Bhubaneswar: Siba Prasad Samantaray has stepped down as chief executive officer (CEO) of Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC).
According to official sources, he resigned from his post after the Odisha government decided against extending his tenure. General Manager (Administration) Prasanna Kumar Sarangi has been assigned the responsibilities of a CEO till a regular appointment is made.
Samantaray was appointed as BMRC CEO in July 2023 for a period of one year by the previous BJD government. His tenure ended on July 31. He had previously worked as East Coast Railway’s Chief Project Director (Bridge Works).
The first phase of the Rs 6,256 crore Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project, connecting Trisulia in Cuttack with Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, is expected to be become operational by the end of 2027. The government has allocated Rs 1,000 crore for the state-of-the-art rapid rail system, which aims to create seamless, efficient and sustainable urban mobility. Chief Minister Mohan Mjahi in is budget speech had described it as the cornerstone of his government’s urban transformation initiatives.
Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats Pvt. Ltd. (ICT) has won the bid for Bhubaneswar Metro Phase 1 project’s Detailed Design Consultant (DDC) contract. The company recently released the design of Bhubaneswar metro station and its adjoining markets. It will create designs of the metro project from Biju Patnaik Airport to Phulapokhari Depot and its Operational Control Centre (OCC)’s architectural, electrical and mechanical (E&M), traction and civil works.