Puri: The repair work of the Ratna Bhandar of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri will remain suspended till June 27 to ensure proper conservation of the structure.
This was decided at a crucial review meeting which took stock of the ongoing repair work. Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple (SJTA) Arabinda Padhee shared a detailed account of the progress made so far in the repair work.
Padhee told reporters after the meeting that 193 hours and 5 minutes of work have been completed so far over the last four months. Repair work at the inner chamber or Bhitara Ratna Bhandar is almost complete and only some stonework and reinforcement tasks are left to be done, he said, adding that granite flooring is being done in the inner chamber.
The SJTA chief said that five stainless steel beams will be installed in the outer Ratna Bhandar to strengthen its structure. From June 28 to July 6, substantial progress is expected to be made, especially as the deities will not be present inside the temple during Rath Yatra festival allowing the conservation teams, mostly the ASI officials, to work with fewer restrictions.
The repair and restoration work of the Ratna Bhandar will be completed after the Rath Yatra, he said. The repair work will remain suspended from April 29 to June 27.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials said around 277 Khandalite stones have been installed, including 148 stones inside Bhitar Ratna Bhandar. There are some cracks, hence work is being done in a scientific manner.
Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said that only about 50 to 60 hours of additional work remain for the outer treasury chamber.
Stating that: the inner Ratna Bhandar was in a dilapidated condition, he said stones were at risk of falling, indicating a potentially dangerous environment. Security and preservation were our top priorities, and the work was carried out under extreme caution and expert supervision, he said.
