Puri, Dec 6 : The Sri Jagannath temple administration on Wednesday initiated work to provide air conditioning service to the devotees standing in queue within barricades to enter the temple.
As part of the work ground survey of a stretch from Marichikot to the Temple office site has been done and marked by the technical personnel.
Puri Sub collector Bhabataran Sahu told media persons on Wednesday that a sun shed will be installed over the barricades from Marichikot square with 84 metres length and 12 metres wide to provide relief to devotees from the harsh weather conditions before entering into the temple gate.
Marking on the ground has been completed and the work is to be completed before December 25, he said. The service is slated to begin from January 1 next,the Sub collector informed.
Sources said the proposed AC cover will not touch the Simhadwar but it will reach up to the Srimandir administrative office.
This is being done as the devotees standing at the end of the queue are the worst sufferers. The devotees when moving in the queue within barricades closer to the temple gate their trouble will be lessened.
Earlier last week temple chief administrator Ranjan Kumar Das had said that a sun shed will be erected over head of the barricade to save devotees from scorching heat of the sun while a number of stand air conditioners will be installed both sides of the barricades to throw chilled air on them to cool down the heat.
This apart the new self imposed dress code for temple entry will be enforced from the new year.

The Temple administration had appealed to the devotees to come to the temple with proper dress suitable for religious work.
However, the devotees wearing inappropriate dress like mutilated jeans, transparent clothing, adults wearing half pants will not be allowed inside the temple gate.
The temple officials have started sensitizing the visiting devotees about the new dress code which will be enforced from January 1.