CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the inordinate delay in completion of the Natamandap restoration work at Jagannath temple in Puri.
The division Bench of Acting Chief Justice BR Sarangi and Justice MS Raman said, “It is a matter of regret that in spite of the directions given by this court in the year 2017, till date the repair work of ‘Natamandap’ of the famous Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri has not yet been completed and some plea or other the matter has been adjourned from time to time.”
The high court has been monitoring the conservation of Natamandap as part of adjudication on a PIL filed by Abhisek Das, a resident of Cuttack in 2016. The work on repair of Natamandap was taken up by ASI after completion of the restoration of Jagamohan and Jay Bijay Dwar in 2017.
The ASI on Monday informed the Orissa High Court that work on strengthening the cracked beam of Natamandap of the Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri will be undertaken after the shrine administration gives clearance to the structural design of steel frame and details of the selected intervention are submitted by IIT, Madras.
Taking note of it, the bench adjourned the matter to Wednesday for further consideration. “An affidavit be filed in this regard explaining elaborately the position of the repair work of ‘Natamandap’ of Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri on the next date,” the Bench said in the order.