Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday held a road show from Primary School to Maa Tarini Temple in Ghatagaon , where he is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the Rs 300‑crore Maa Tarini Temple Parikrama Project.
According to an official release, the CM will offer prayers to the revered shrine and lay the foundation stone for the comprehensive transformation and beautification of the temple complex spread over approximately 60 acres.
The project would be undertaken at an estimated cost of over Rs 312 crore to transform Ghatagaon into one of Odisha’s premier spiritual, cultural and eco-tourism destinations while preserving its sanctity and providing world-class facilities to lakhs of devotees, who visit the shrine every year.
Key components of the project include:
>>216-bed modern Jatri Niwas (pilgrim rest house)
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t;Prasad Sevan hall with a capacity to accommodate 500 persons
>>Coconut godowns
>>A state-of-the-art interpretation centre showcasing the history and significance of Maa Tarini
>> food plaza, watch tower
>> 12-metre wide approach road connecting National Highway to Harichandanpur and complete overhaul of internal roads and traffic management system
The release further stated that several other pilgrim-centric facilities have also been incorporated in the master plan. These include vast parking areas, a modern queue management system for orderly darshan, drinking water supply, electrical infrastructure and decorative illumination, landscaping, drainage systems, boundary walls, solid waste management, and a light-and-sound show.
Large and small ponds within the complex, which are an integral component of Hindu religious practice, will also be renovated, it added.
Local residents expressed immense joy and excitement over the announcement. “Maa Tarini is the living soul of Keonjhar. The Chief Minister belonging to our district becoming the head of the state itself was a matter of great pride. Now this historic development package will completely change the face of Ghatgaon and bring prosperity to the entire region,” said a devotee.