BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) signed an MoU with India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) on Tuesday for organising light and sound shows at Khandagiri caves, Dhauli Shanti Stupa and Konark Sun temple.
The MoU was signed by Director of Tourism Department, Ashok Kumar Tarenia and Director (Finance) of ITDC Trinath Behera in presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
While two agencies have been selected to implement the project at Konark and Dhauli, the tender for Khandagiri show has not been finalised yet. The Government has drawn up a budget of `6.15 crore for Khandagiri, `6.06 crore for Dhauli and `6.56 crore for the Konark project.
While the Centre will provide `5 crore for each monument, the remaining amount will be used from State Government sources. As per the MoU, ITDC will be the executing agency for the light and sound shows.
The Chief Minister has asked the ITDC to make the projects operational within the specified time frame and before Nabakalebara festival scheduled next year.
Sources in ITDC said there are four important components of the project - art direction, technology to be used, voice over and scripts. The ITDC will now submit a blueprint of scripts for the shows at Konark and Dhauli and choose the background voice for 30-minute programmes that will be shown with laser technology.
The final nod on the scripts and voices would be given by the State Government after consultation with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha. While ASI is in charge of the Konark Sun temple, Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha takes care of the Peace Pagoda.
Voices of actors Om Puri, Mukesh Khanna, Kabir Bedi and Suresh Oberoi have been short-listed for the two heritage sites and the final two will be selected within a week’s time.
ITDC Director (Corporate and Marketing), Commander (Retd) Ratan Kumar Okhandiar informed that ground work would begin in two months and the projects would be completed by early next year.