Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Thursday approved an additional allocation of Rs 100.83 crore for a cluster of key infrastructure and heritage projects underway in Odisha’s pilgrim town of Puri under the state’s flagship Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme.
The fresh sanction revises the earlier outlay of Rs 557.19 crore upward to Rs 658.03 crore, ensuring that work on the Jagannath Ballav Pilgrim Centre, a modern market complex, Shree Setu and the Musa river expansion proceeds without interruption.
The decision follows a review of emerging requirements, including the addition of a 2,000-seat multipurpose hall on the fifth floor of the Jagannath Ballav Pilgrim Centre.
Officials noted that the expanded scope, along with other structural and amenity-related needs, made the cost revision necessary.
The enhanced funding will strengthen facilities for the large numbers of pilgrims and visitors who throng the abode of Lord Jagannath throughout the year.
Reiterating the government’s resolve to transform the holy city into a world-class pilgrimage hub, the Chief Minister emphasised that resource constraints would not be allowed to impede progress. “The state government will spare no effort in developing Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath. Whatever funds are required for the development of Mahaprabhu’s dham will be provided,” he stated following the review.
Launched during the 2017–18 financial year with a total planned outlay of Rs 4,224.22 crore, the multi-year ABADHA scheme encompasses large-scale urban renewal, heritage conservation, and tourism infrastructure upgrades across Puri. Major completed and ongoing works under the programme include the Shree Jagannath Parikrama Marg, the redevelopment of Acharya Harihar Square, the Atharnala heritage project, the revival of ancient water bodies, and the restoration of historical mutts and religious institutions around the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple.