On Wednesday, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik officially inaugurated the 'Srimandir Parikrama' project, a venture with a primary goal of enhancing amenities for devotees in the vicinity of the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
This Rs 800-crore initiative was unveiled by the Chief Minister in the presence of the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Divyasingha Deb and representatives from approximately 90 temples, including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Mahakal Temple in Ujjain, and the Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal.
The central feature of this heritage corridor, spanning 75 meters around the temple, encompasses several enhancements. This includes the incorporation of a green buffer zone, a reception area designed to accommodate 6,000 devotees, the Jagannath Ballav pilgrim center, multi-level car parking facilities, a dedicated pedestrian path, and public convenience zones.
Initially announced in December 2019, the project faced delays due to the global pandemic and the issuance of draft by-laws by the National Monuments Authority (NMA) in January 2021. These by-laws prohibited any construction within the 100-meter periphery of the temple. However, these regulations were withdrawn following a request from the Chief Minister.
Similarly, in June of the previous year, the Supreme Court dismissed two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) challenging the renovation project, deeming them as "frivolous litigation."
The BJD government, in anticipation of the inauguration, conducted statewide promotional campaigns, declaring a holiday across the state for the event. Screens were set up in panchayats and block headquarters to broadcast the proceedings, and special buses were deployed from various parts of the state to facilitate the participation of devotees in the event.
Following the inauguration, Chief Minister Patnaik expressed his sentiments in a post on X, acknowledging the dedication and hard work of numerous individuals who contributed to the project in devotion to Lord Shri Jagannath. He highlighted the unwavering commitment of the people of Puri and emphasized that the initiative is symbolic of the faith held by every orthodox and devoted individual, concluding with the invocation "Jai Jagannath."
