RAYAGADA: One of the holiest shrines of South Odisha, the Maa Majhighariani temple located in Rayagada town, is soon going to be converted into a tourist hub.
The district administration has initiated discussions with the Railways to acquire land adjacent to the temple premises to develop the shrine which attracts scores of devotees from across the State. The temple was earlier developed on 6.03 acres of railway land. The Railways has 26.16 acres of land in the vicinity of the temple that needs to be acquired to start the process. Besides, an additional 19.85-acre land is lying vacant close to the temple.
The temple’s management and district administration are trying to acquire the land to sort out the problem of accommodation for thousands of devotees who throng the temple. The district administration, led by Collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, has already held back-to-back meetings with railway authorities. Sources said the railway authorities have assured to co-operate in the bid to beautify and develop the temple.
The district administration has identified 49.66 acres of revenue land adjacent to railway tracks from Jamadeipentha to Kuneru and Rayagada- Koraput line and intimated the higher officials of East Coast Railway. The temple management had earlier sent several proposals to the Endowment Commissioner of Odisha to carry out developmental works around the temple but the same proved futile and the temple did not have enough land for the purpose.
The Collector said a meeting has been scheduled on August 3 in Rayagada which will be attended by higher authorities of East Coast Railway, representatives of Endowment Commissioner of Odisha, the temple management as the district administration.
The chairman of Majhighariani temple trust Raisingh Bidika said the temple needs to be developed to provide better amenities to the devotees.Notably, the the temple is the third richest in Odisha with property amounting to more than `50 crore deposited in local banks.