BHUBANESWAR/PURI: Director General of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) V Vidyavathi on Monday reviewed the ongoing work on Srimandir Heritage Corridor Project and Ekamra Heritage Project, being implemented by the State government in Puri and Bhubaneswar respectively.
After offering prayers at the Shri Jagannath temple, she held a discussion with the chief administrator Dr Krishan Kumar, Collector Samarth Verma along with local authorities of OBCC and ASI on the creation of the 75-meter heritage Parikrama around Meghanad Prachir.
The Puri administration also produced the master plan of the project and new amenities that would come up.
The Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had received a no-objection certificate for the Rs 331.28 crore heritage corridor project from National Monuments Authority (NMA) in September last year to take up construction of tourist amenities within the prohibited zone of the Centrally protected shrine. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for it on November 24 last year.
The NMA has so far given no objection for construction of cloakroom, shelter pavilion, three toilets, electrical room and pavement area in the prohibited zone in compliance with the AMASR Act. The act prohibits any kind of new construction within 100 metres of the monument.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Kumar said work on the heritage corridor project will begin only after getting a green signal from the ASI. All other permissions for the project have been acquired. “We will work in close coordination with the ASI to implement the project which aims at providing better facilities to the pilgrims,” he said.
In Bhubaneswar, the DG visited Lingaraj temple, Mukteswar and Parashurameswar temples and held discussions with the officials associated with the Ekamra heritage project. She discussed the conservation works that are being carried out at all the Centrally protected monuments in Old Town including Lingaraj temple which are a part of the Ekamra project plan.
Later, Vidyavathi went around the Sari Deula complex where ASI has excavated six temple bases and is currently working on digging out a buried Khakara style temple.