PURI: Union Mines Secretary Anil Gopishankar Mukim expressed dissatisfaction over poor execution of several projects that have been approved for Puri under the ‘Iconic City’ project mooted by the Centre. Mukim took stock of the progress of the projects at a meeting of officials held here on Friday.
As many as 22 projects, including creation of heritage corridor connecting 57 heritage sites, construction of a modern bus terminal at Malatipatpur, a multi-storied parking lot and a park along Baliapanda sea beach, research centre on Jagannath cult, art and culture museum, solar power project in Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University, upgradation of Niladri Mahoday museum located in Sri Jagannath temple complex and installation of drinking water points at several places have been approved by the Centre at an estimated cost of over `80 crore.
It was revealed that only two projects have been completed, eight are nearing completion while 12 are yet to take off. Mukim advised the officials to gear up their efforts to complete all the projects at the earliest. District Collector Jyoti Prakash Das, Nalco CMD TK Chand, Project Director, DRDA Udhab Chandra Majhi, Puri Municipality Executive Officer Srikant Tarai, ‘Iconic City’ Project Deputy Director D P Behera and Assistant Director, Tourism, Bijay Kumar Jena participated in the meeting.
Nalco to construct guest house for devotees
Puri: Aluminium major Nalco will construct a multi-storied guest house with 300 rooms near Malatipatpur bus terminal for devotees and a multi-storied parking lot near the sea beach. This was announced by Nalco CMD Tapan Kumar Chand at a function here on Friday. Union Secretary of Mines Anil Gopikrushan Mukim and District Magistrate J P Das were present. Chand flagged off five electric vehicles to be used for free transport of differentlyabled devotees, senior citizens, women and children from Jagannath Ballav Parking place to the Lions Gate of Sri Jagannath temple. The CMD also released a CD of bhajans in Hindi, Bangla and Odia on the occasion.