Bhubaneswar: The Ekamra Kshetra Amenities and Monuments Revival Action Plan, also known as the ‘Ekamra’ project, is expected to be completed with two additional features by the end of 2026-27 financial year, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri, the Minister said an interpretation centre and a grand statute of the Lord Shiva will also be
built. “Bindusagar will also be redeveloped as a heritage lake as part of the project,” he said.
Harichandan stated that the executing agency has been disengaged as it expressed unwillingness to proceed further. “A revised project plan is under preparation with an additional budget allocation,” he added.
This has come amid speculation that the draft budget proposal for 2026-27 may exceed Rs 3 lakh crore for the first time. The budget session of the Odisha Assembly will begin on February 17 and Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, who also holds the finance portfolio, will present the state budget on February 20.
Notably, numerous temples, sacred water bodies dot the old town area of the city, which is also known as Ekamra Kshetra. The project for development of the area was conceived in 2019 by the previous BJD government and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid its foundation stone in June 2023.