Naveen’s Devotion Led To Project Jagannath: Pandian

Bhubaneswar: The plan to build the Shree Jagannath Heritage Corridor Project was initiated in 2016 due to the keenness and commitment of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Secretary (5T – Transformation & Initiatives) V Karthikeyan Pandian said here on Monday.

Addressing a meeting to unveil the architectural plans of the much-discussed project at Lok Seva Bhawan, the IAS officer said, “I was accompanying the Chief Minister during his visit to Puri on New Year’s day in 2016 to seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath. I noticed that he frequently prayed to Lord Jagannath on seeing His images on roadside hoardings. When I saw him closing his eyes and folding his hands while praying to the Lord along the 60-km stretch, I realised his ardent devotion to the Lord. Inside the temple and in front of the Lord, I found a different Chief Minister.”

Pandian, who has been the Private Secretary to the CM since 2010-11, said after the darshan of the Lord and on his return to Bhubaneswar, the CM told him that it will be good if the development of the Jagannath Temple was taken up. From that day on, the vision for development of the Heritage Corridor Project was conceptualised.

“The beginning of the heritage project began in the first week of January 2016 when the decision to shift the District Jail near the Bada Danda (Grand Road) was taken. No one the reason behind this shifting. Some people were taken aback by the decision, but the jail was shifted to a new building which was completed in 15 months,” Pandian added.

Pandian’s version, released to the media (watch video), was seemingly aimed at putting to rest speculation over the BJD government decision in its fifth term to move ahead with its Jagannath project at a very fast pace. “Because I am part of the system, I thought I should clarify it to the people about the project and how it all happened,” pointed out Pandian at the meeting. “Our CM is the biggest bhakt of Lord Jagannath,” he added.