Budget worth Rs 413 core for Puri Shrimandira approved; Women, children and elderly people to have separate row for darshan

Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee gave approval for a budget worth Rs 413 core for the Puri Shrimandira for 2024-25 financial year today.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee gave its green signal for the Rs 413 core budget for the Puri Shrimandira during a four-hour long meeting held today, informed Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arabinda Padhee.

An additional budget of Rs 103 crore has been approved and the State Government will give a corpus fund of Rs 500 crore, the SJTA Chief Administrator said.

Padhee said that the meeting also discussed about the means and steps for devotees’ smooth darshan of the deities. The District Collector, Superintendent of Police (SP), Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the servitors will take decision in this regard.

He also informed the media persons that decision was also taken to make a separate row for the women, children and elderly people during the darshan. The differently-abled devotees will also have a dedicated line for their hustle-free darshan, he added.

The SJTA Chief Administrator also said that the following issues were discussed during the meeting:

The meeting also discussed how all the rituals will be performed timely and in disciplined manner.
The Almirahs kept in the Nata Mandapa will be taken out and the Nata Mandapa will have AC facilities.
It was also decided to have the meetings of the Niti Sub-committee on a regular basis, once in every month.
The Puri Shrimandir will have a special FM Radio Channel.
The doors of the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Puri Jagannath temple will have gold coating.
The meeting also discussed about the development of the servitors and their family and children.
The land disputes will be sorted out with the help of the Orissa Space Applications Centre (ORSAC),
The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee express concern over the Adapa Pahandi mishap during Rath Yatra.
The inquiry report of the three-member committee was presented during the meeting. The inquiry committee has been asked to submit a fresh report after inquiring and going through the visuals of the incident once again.
The meeting also discussed how such incident can be avoided as the inquiry committee has given nine suggestions for the same.
A special Pahandi Coordination Committee will be formed with the collector and SP being the member for the smooth conduct of the Pahandi rituals.
The Badagrahi will decide how many servitors will be allowed to remain on the top of the chariots.