Queue System At Jagannath Temple On Experimental Basis From October 1

Puri: Acting on the directive of the Supreme Court for implementation of some of the reforms proposals, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided to implement the queue system at the Jagannath Temple on an experimental basis from October 1.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Jagannath Temple Managing Committee presided over by the Gajapati Maharaja, Dibyasingh Deb here on Thursday.

Talking to the media after the meeting, chief administrator of SJTA, Pradipta Mohapatra said as thousands of devotees visit the temple every day, to ensure their smooth darshan of the Lords, the temple administration has decided to introduce the queue system from October 1 on an experimental basis.

“The devotees will enter the temple from the Simhadwara (entrance gate) and move in a queue in barricades. There will be separate barricades for men and women. After the darshan of the Lords, the devotees will exit through the Uttaradwara (north gate), he added.

Mohapatra further said that it was decided at the meeting that the gold donated by devotees in the name of the Lords will be deposited in the bank locker on every Monday.

“Apart from this, the number of servitors of the temple, as recommended by the amicus curiae, Gopal Subramaniam, would be reduced from 18 sections to 10,” he pointed out.

Asked about the decision taken at the meeting on the twelve reforms proposals, he said that it was unanimously agreed that ten proposals would be implemented.

Among others, Puri collector Jyoti Prakash Das, SP of Puri Sarthak Sarangi and representatives of the servitors’ bodies were present at the meeting.