PURI: A mega project having 1,000 rooms and dormitories along the lines of ‘Bhakta Nivas’ would be built on six acre of land at Matitota, here to provide low cost accommodation to pilgrims, informed Chief Administrator of Sri Jagannath Temple Dr Krishan Kumar after the managing committee meeting held on Friday.
This apart, efforts are underway to acquire all 60,000 acre of endowment recorded in favour of Lord Jagannath. So far, about 36,000 acre have been recorded in favour of the deity. Kumar said servitors were being issued identity cards while rate chart of Mahaprasad has been finalised and would be notified after Law department approves the proposal.
Two separate sets of regulations for Anand Bazaar and temple kitchen would be enforced soon. A system was also being put in place for waste management. Besides, a school for children of temple servitors would be constructed on 15 acre at a cost of Rs 5 crore.
The temple administration would consult Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth Swamy Neeschalananda Saraswati and Chairperson of the Srimandir body Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb to improve the performance of daily nitees and rituals. A financial sub-committee would take stock of the temple fund deposited in various public sector banks as well as gold and silver and recommend for its fruitful investment. The 1984 inventory of gold ornaments and precious gem stones kept in the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) would be presented before the Supreme Court.
Moreover, an architect would be appointed to prepare a project report for several projects to be undertaken in and around the 75-metre heritage corridor. After approval of the State Government, the report would be submitted in the Supreme Court with a prayer to direct the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for giving clearance for execution. The ASI has been entrusted with the repair and conservation work of the temple since 1974.
Kumar informed that efforts were on to provide hassle-free darshan and basic amenities to pilgrims and introduce the queue system. A huge canopy along the Badadanda in Simhadwar area is nearing completion to protect devotees from rain and sun. Toilets and drinking water facilities would be installed within the 75 metre corridor.
Besides, punitive actions would be initiated against a number of servitors who caused disruption in observance of nitees and rituals of the deities as per the Temple Act after the committee submit its findings.
“Corporate houses would be approached to support various temple projects from their CSR fund while we would appeal to rich devotees to sponsor some projects like construction of Adarsh temple school, pilgrim shelter building, beautification of heritage corridor and other similar projects,” Kumar said.
The meeting was attended by Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Puri Collector Balwant Singh, SP Umashankar Dash, Endowment Commissioner and servitors while the Gajapati presided over it. Kumar presented the report in the meeting.
The meeting was convened to discuss the steps taken to comply the 23-point direction of the Supreme Court. A detailed reply would be submitted to the apex court before January 8, the next date of hearing, Kumar added.