PURI: As their footfall springs back to normal in Sri Jagannath temple, large number of devotees are now longing for the Mahaprasad of the Holy Trinity.
This was revealed from complaints in the suggestion box installed by the administration near the barricades inviting feedback to facilitate better arrangements for darshan of the deities.
Puri SP K Vishal Singh on Sunday said over 1,200 suggestions have been received from devotees visiting the Srimandir.
Most complaints are about unavailability of the Mahaprasad for devotees as the Anand Bazaar inside the temple complex has been closed.
The administration set up a Mahaprasad market at Jagannath Ballav market complex but the devotees are inconvenienced as it is located at a distance of over one km from the temple.
This apart, high price of Mahaprasad has prevented many devotees from buying it.
The feedback also reveals that devotees want the distance of barricades reduced and provision of wheelchairs to the needy.
Currently, every devotee has to traverse through one km long barricades in nine rows in adherence to Covid-19 norms for entering the temple.
The distance is causing inconvenience to the elderlies.
Many able-bodied devotees are being seen carrying their aged parents and grandparents besides differently-abled persons to the temple.
For Puri residents, the administration has opened two inlets in the barricades, one near the temple office and another in front of Puri king’s palace to facilitate entry from the western side of Srimandir. Singh said police are examining the suggestions of devotees.
Meanwhile, the administration sanitised the barricades, Baisi Pahacha and the entire temple complex as Srimandir was closed for devotees on Sunday. As many as 10 fire fighting personnel using advanced equipment sanitised the temple.
Since the mandatory production of Covid negative report to enter the temple has been lifted from January 21, there is a possibility of the virus spreading in the pilgrim town due to the rush of devotees.
Earlier, temple chief administrator Dr Krishan Kumar had urged the State government to vaccinate all servitors and their families besides over 500 temple employees on a priority basis.