Cuttack, Apr 21: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sought more time from the Odisha High Court to submit a detailed report on the much-hyped Sri Mandir Parikrama Project. Odisha Government’s Sri Mandir Parikrama Project has drawn sharp criticism from various political and social outfits, with alleged illegal excavation around the Centuries Old Shrine of Puri Dham.
On Thursday hearing a petition, the High Court today directed the State Government and ASI to carry out a joint inspection of ongoing construction activities around Sri Mandir.
Hearing of this case is scheduled next on May 16.
Raising concern over safety of centuries old religious structure, an intervening petition on ‘illegal digging’ around the temple has also been filed by one Dilip Baral.
Meanwhile, a team of Parliamentary Committee of Tourism and Culture Ministry has visited Puri Srimandir today. Before reviewing the construction activities around the temple, the team members including ASI ADG Alok Tripathy and Superintendent of ASI Odisha Arun Mallick had holy darshan of deities inside the Jagannath Temple on Thursday morning.
Launched in December 2019, Sri Mandir Parikrama Project is an ‘ambitious’ project of the State Government to transform the pilgrim town Puri into a World Heritage City.
The project is being carried out under supervision of ASI and National Monuments Authority (NMA). Under the project, various amenities and infrastructure around 75-metre radius of the Jagannath Temple are being developed.
