ASI to repair Mahalakshmi temple inside Puri Srimandir from March

Puri: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will carry out repair work of Mahalakshmi temple located on premises of Srimandir in Puri from March this year.

This was decided at a meeting held at the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) office in Puri yesterday.

As per decision, a 10-member special committee will prepare a list after visiting the temple everyday. Accordingly, the progress work will be assessed at a review meeting on every Tuesday.

“We had written to the ASI regarding leakages in the Mahalakshmi and Bimala temples’ roof on Srimandir complex. The ASI is going to start the repair work from March first week. However, decision is yet to be taken on repairing other temples of ancillary deities at the Jagannath Temple. Necessary repair work will be carried out after budgetary allocation. If any issue arises, the temple administration will provide financial assistance to the ASI in carrying out the repair work,” said the SJTA Development Administrator Ajay Kumar Jena after meeting.

The CCTVs installed for security of the temple are lying defunct since 2019 Cyclone FANI. New CCTVs will be reinstalled in the temple compound. The Srimandir administration has already paid Rs 80 lakh to the State Police Housing Corporation to reinstall the cameras. The work will start soon, he added.

Besides, the ongoing repair work of Meghanada Prachir is expected to be completed by June or July. There is a plan to install an LED display board either at Satapahacha (seven-stair) or Singhadwar urging the devotees for donation.

The meeting also discussed other subjects including health and hygiene in the temple complex, peripheral development, drinking water, luggage room, shoe and mobile phone stand and toilets for devotees.