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This is an archive article published on April 26, 2022
Amid chorus against heritage corridor, servitors & Puri king extend support to project
The Gajapati, who is also the chairperson of the Sri Jagannath Temple managing committee, asserted that the project poses no threat to the structural safety of the temple and the ongoing work will be completed at the earliest
An aerial view of the Puri Heritage Corridor Project (Twitter @CMO_Odisha)
With criticism raging against the ambitious Puri heritage corridor project and the principle Opposition, BJP, set to organise a padyatra Wednesday, servitors of the Puri Jagannath temple and Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb extended their support to the project.
The Gajapati, who is also the chairperson of the Sri Jagannath Temple managing committee, asserted that the project poses no threat to the structural safety of the temple and the ongoing work will be completed at the earliest.
“Jagannath culture does not belong to any person, government or individual. Work of Mahaprabhu is every devotee’s responsibility. Any attempt to stall the work by staging demonstrations is undesirable,” he said. He also appealed to the state and the central governments to work together for the project.
“The project is being executed to provide security to the shrine, more amenities for devotees and beautification of the temple complex. It is essential to develop the project to establish the glory of Lord Jagannath globally,” he added.
Explained
Corridor controversy
Ever since work on the Odisha government's ambitious Rs 3,200-crore project began on January 20 this year, there is a hue and cry that using heavy-duty machines within the 75-metre radius of the shrine may pose a danger to the 12th-century centrally-protected monument. A total of 22 different projects, mainly aimed at augmenting amenities to the devotees and beautification, will be executed in a phased manner. The government, however, has been claiming that all necessary permissions and precautions have been taken.
This comes a day after the sevayats of the temple submitted a memorandum to the district collector and issued a statement demanding that attempts to politicise the issue must be stopped. The statement was issued by sevayat representatives from seven nijogs (association of servitors). “All activities intended to hamper the ongoing project must stop. The heritage corridor project work should be completed at the earliest. We are in complete support of the project and will extend full cooperation,” servitor Gourhari Pradhan said.
Ever since work on the much ambitious project began on January 20 this year, questions have been raised by several outfits, temple servitors and locals on the structural stability of the 12th-century monument as JCB machines are being used to dig up the area within the 75 metre radius of the centrally-protected shrine to set up public amenities. The project is being undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs 3,200 crore. A total of 22 different projects will be executed in a phased manner.
The state government, however, has time and again maintained that all necessary permission has been taken for the ongoing project and there is no threat to the structural safety of the temple.
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Meanwhile the Orissa High Court on April 22 refused to proceed with the PIL seeking intervention against the constructions going on near the Jagannath temple complex as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) failed to file a reply to it. Dilip Kumar Baral, a resident of Puri town, had filed the petition raising concerns over the project, prompting the Orissa High Court to seek response from the state government and the ASI. The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice R K Pattanaik adjourned the matter to May 16 for hearing while granting two weeks’ time to the ASI to file the reply.
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