Puri: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) today started the repair and renovation work of the Ratna Bhandar at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.

The work is being carried out in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Odisha government.

Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said the repair work has commenced and is expected to be completed within three months. “The ASI has assured us of a three-month timeline, but we have requested them to expedite the process,” he said while speaking to reporters.

The minister also clarified that the repair activities have been scheduled carefully to ensure they do not interfere with temple rituals or the darshan.

Devotees visiting the temple during the repair work can have darshan of the deities from outside the Bahara Katha.

As per the plan, the repair work will be conducted for around five hours daily, starting around 12.30 pm or 1.00 pm and concluding by 6.00 pm.