Bhubaneswar, April 10 -- The proposed metro rail project in Bhubaneswar has not been cancelled but has been temporarily put on hold, said Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Friday amid growing political debate over the matter.

The clarification comes in the wake of a letter by Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, which intensified discussions around the status of the much-anticipated project in the state capital. Responding to the concerns, the minister stated that the metro project remains under consideration of the Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and no final decision has been taken so far.

He further informed that the Bhubaneswar Metro Corporation office continues to function, indicating that the project has ...