BHUBANESWAR/PURI: Ahead of Snana Purnima and Rath Yatra of the Trinity, work on dismantling the air-conditioned (AC) corridor and removal of barricades within it, was started at the Grand Road in Puri on Monday.
The 85-metre long and 12-metre wide AC corridor is a temporary structure that was set up by the state government from Marchikot Square to Shree Jagannath temple for convenience of devotees waiting in queues to enter the shrine. It was opened in December last year prior to the inauguration of the Srimandir Parikrama project.
Official sources said it was decided in a recent meeting of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) that the temporary structure will be removed before the Snana Purnima which is scheduled on June 22. “Since the Grand Road witnesses a mammoth gathering during Snana Purnima and Rath Yatra, the AC corridor will be removed for observation of all rituals and devotees’ convenience. During Rath Yatra, the three chariots are parked in front of the temple and pulled to Gundicha temple from there onwards. Removing the corridor will free up the space,” said an official. The AC corridor was equipped with seating arrangements, LED televisions and drinking water facilities. Official sources informed that it will be reinstalled after the Rath Yatra is over.
Meanwhile, a member of the temple managing committee informed that the issue of opening all the four gates of Srimandir will be taken up in the managing committee meeting before a final call on it is taken. “But that will happen only after the government is formed,” he said, requesting anonymity.