Odisha boasts many world-class sports stadiums around the state including Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Barabati Cricket Stadium in Cuttack, and many others. Adding another feather to its hate, the eastern state will see a new football stadium in Cuttack.
On Sunday, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the development of a football stadium, including a flyover, and the redevelopment of railway stations in the Cuttack district. The Union Minister also participated in a football match in Tigiria block and sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for a football stadium in the Panchgaon area of Cuttack.
“Rs 50 lakh have been sanctioned to develop the football stadium in Panchgaon. A flyover has also been sanctioned in Ghantikhal. It has also been decided that the passenger amenities at Rajathgarh and Ghantikhal railway stations would be improved,” media reports quoted Vaishnaw as saying.
Notably, Odisha hosted a prestigious international football tournament ‘Hero Intercontinental Cup’ from June 9 to June 18 last year. The four-nation football tournament was hosted by India at the Kalinga Sports Complex in Bhubaneswar.
Earlier in May last year, Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik inaugurated three football training centres in the Bhubaneswar before the Intercontinental Cup. These were Odisha Football Academy, Bhubaneswar Football Academy and Capital Arena Football.
Developed at Rs 90 crore, these facilities have a total of six FIFA-certified pitches, including five natural and one synthetic football ground, LED flood lights, players changing room, gallery, gym, coach room and other amenities.
While offering prayer at the Dhabaleswar temple in Odisha’s Cuttack, the Union Minister said he also discussed the development of the area as a devotional centre with the priest of the temple.
“I had a darshan of Baba Dhabaleswar today, I was fortunate. I also spoke with the priest and others regarding the development of the area as a devotional centre,” Vaishnaw added.
Bhubaneswar Metro project
On January 1, 2024, CM Patnaik laid the foundation stone for the much-awaited Bhubaneswar Metro project.
The Rs 6,255 crore project is one of the single largest investments made in any infrastructure project in Odisha. Announced on Odisha Diwas on April 1, 2023, the Detailed Project Report has already been approved by the Patnaik government.
“Reviewed the status of Phase-1 of Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project which is going to be taken up under our 5T initiative. It is going to be a major landmark project for Odisha and with this, Bhubaneswar will join the select cities in the country with a metro rail system,” the Chief Minister posted on X earlier.
Key projects in Odisha
In November last year, Patnaik approved 12 key projects with a cumulative investment intent of Rs 84,918.75 crore. The investment will be done in various sectors like apparel, textiles, green hydrogen, green ammonia, steel, power, renewable energy, and chemical and petrochemical downstream sectors.
Further, districts of Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapada, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Sundargarh will benefit from these projects.
