Puri: At the ground zero to review the progress in Shree Mandira Parikrama Project (Heritage Corridor Project), Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb on Friday announced January 17 as the tentative date for dedicating the project to people.
“The project is nearing completion and it is likely to be thrown open for public on January 17, 2024. A final decision will be taken in the meeting of the temple managing committee tomorrow evening. A havan will also be held for over 5 days during the dedication ceremony,” he told mediapersons.
“The devotees will be able to reach Meghanada Pacheri without any hassle once the dedicated corridor is inaugurated. Arrangements have been made for cloak room, rest room. There is huge facility for parking vehicles about 500 metre from the shrine, and some shops, food courts and an auditorium for cultural programmes have also been constructed,” he said.
Conceived in 2016, the Puri Heritage Corridor Project was unveiled in December 2019 to transform the town into an international place of heritage. The Rs 800-crore project includes redeveloping major portions of the town and in the vicinity of the temple for visitors and tourists while creating an unobstructed 75-metre corridor around the Meghanada Pacheri (the outer wall of the 12th-century shrine). The amenities, which are within 55 metre radius of the temple from Meghanada Pracheri, include six toilets and three shelter pavilions in the south, north and west directions of the temple. A 6,000 capacity Srimandir reception centre, Jagannath cultural centre, including Raghunandan library, Badadanda heritage streetscape, Jagannath Ballav pilgrim centre, multilevel car parking are among the other amenities.
The Puri Gajapati further informed that Bada Danda Development Plan will be taken up thereafter and shuttle services will be started for the devotees. The outer access road developed under the project is 20-metre wide and includes three lanes – mixed traffic lane, shuttle lane and pedestrian path.
Besides the heritage corridor project, he also visited Pramoda Udyan of Mahaprabhu and Jagannath Ballav Mutt accompanied by SJTA chief administrator Ranjan Kumar Das and Puri Collector Samarth Verma.
Das told the media that a lavish programme of international level will be organised for inauguration of the project on January 17 next year. “The public dedication ceremony will attract devotees from India and abroad. The havan and puja for the inauguration will continue for several days and decision on when it would start will be taken in the ritual sub-committee this evening.”
He further hoped that the devotees will get a cosmopolitan feel while visiting Puri after the inauguration of the project. “The Sri Setu project is in its last legs and is expected to be completed around December 15. However, the Jagannath Ballav Parking project might get delayed. We are planning to complete it before February next year,” he added.
