Bhubaneswar: The state and central governments are involved in a row over the place where the MoU for the much-awaited railway station multi-modal hub project should be signed.

Railways minister Piyush Goyal, in his letter to chief minister on April 27, invited the state to sign the pact at Rail Bhavan in New Delhi on May 23. But, chief minister Naveen Patnaik wrote back to him on Monday, saying Bhubaneswar would be a more appropriate place for the MoU signing ceremony.

"It is proposed that the MoU between the railways and the state government be signed jointly at Rail Bhavan in New Delhi on May 23. You are cordially invited, along with officials concerned, to grace the occasion," said Goyal's letter.

In contrast, the chief minister's letter maintained: "As the project is of immense importance to the citizens of the city for which the state government is committed to fully bear the expenses for the development of a modern and world class station, I would therefore like to propose that the MoU be signed in Bhubaneswar on a mutually convenient date."

The railways and the state government had agreed on signing the pact on January 20 in Bhubaneswar, but it could not be inked as the East Coast Railway's chief general manager, who was supposed to sign the agreement, could not show up citing health problems. Naveen was scheduled to grace the occasion at the secretariat. When the signing event was differed, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said it was a conspiracy to delay the project on part of the railways.

"We have not got any direction from the chief minister whether to attend the event on Wednesday," said a department official.