Renovation Works In Evicted Areas Around Lingaraj Temple In Bhubaneswar To Begin Today

Bhubaneswar: After completing the eviction around the Lingaraj Temple here, the Odisha government will begin the renovation and beautification work from Monday.

As informed by the Works Secretary Krishan Kumar, who had a high-level meeting with the commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Prem Chandra Chaudhary on Sunday, the road along the Simhadwar of the temple will remain closed for an indefinite period from Monday.

“As decided, the tourist vehicles coming to Old Bhubaneswar will be parked at the area near the new market complex. Since the eviction work has been completed, the cleaning of the debris from around 66 acres of the evicted areas will be carried out after which the renovation works like lying the paver blocks, lighting and sitting arrangements around Bindusagar tank will be taken up,” the BMC commissioner said.

He also said that the renovation and the beautification around the 11the century shrine will be jointly carried by the BMC and the Works Department in line with the ongoing development works in Puri.

The BMC enforcement squad on Sunday had demolished the Lions Club and the boundary wall of the Lingaraj Police Station near the temple.

Talking to mediapersons on Monday, senior servitor of Lingaraj Temple, Sarat Chandra Panda said that the BMC is yet to create a parking space on the old market complex premises. He also alleged that the tourist vehicles coming from the Garage Chhak towards the temple are facing difficulties due to the pitiable condition of the road.

Notably, the BMC had begun the eviction drive around the temple premises on December 9 with the demolition of an old market complex.