BERHAMPUR: The Rs 1.14 crore project by the State’s Tourism and Culture department, to develop the famed Budhi Thakurani temple under the aegis of Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), has been put on hold. It was revealed in a letter to the Collector by the State Government, recently.
Sources said lack of coordination between priests, locals and the district administration led to the decision.
However, Tourism Minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi said the project may be revived if re-estimated and sent to his department.
Panigrahi, during his visit to Berhampur on Saturday, assured MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu and MLA Bikram Panda of finding a way out. According to the plan, the vacant land adjoining the main temple was to be developed as a Public Convention Centre.
Architecture firm Nester of Bhubaneswar has already submitted the blueprint for the temple’s development plan, the tender has been finalised and OTDC engineers have planned layout of an attractive gate, deep bore well, parking space, electricity, toilets, bathrooms and other amenities inside the temple complex.
These plans were to be carried out with consultation of temple trustee members. The Tourism and Culture department, in 2014, had recognised ‘Thakurani Yatra’ in Berhampur as the sixth State festival.