SAMBALPUR: A new crematorium will come up at Mandlia to replace the existing cremation ground in Kamlibazar area which will be acquired for implementation of the State government’s Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economy Initiatives (SAMALEI) scheme. The new facility will be developed over two-acre of land.
At least 25 houses were demolished to clear the land where the crematorium will come up. Enforcement officer of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) Subhankar Mohanty said the eviction drive was carried out successfully earlier this week in presence of police. The district administration has decided to relocate the 25 evicted families to Kanijuri area in the city. All constructions on the land will be removed to pave way for the development of the new project.
As the land over which the new crematorium will come up, is just 2 km via ring road from the existing Rajghat, it is less likely to pose any inconvenience to residents. So far, there has not been any resistance from the residents towards the project. Since almost all establishments around the Rajghat have already been demolished, the project work is being expedited to clear space for the execution of SAMALEI scheme.
Under the SAMALEI scheme, beautification and redevelopment of the 16th-century Samaleswari temple is being carried out.
The shrine will be transformed on the lines of Jagannath temple in Puri and Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar. The redevelopment will include beautification and peripheral development of the temple, development of a heritage corridor, state-of-the-art amenities for pilgrims, improvement of access to the shrine and Mahanadi riverfront development. Around Rs 200 crore will be spent on the project. The Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation Ltd has been tasked with implementation of the scheme.