Bhubaneswar, Dec 7: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the holistic redevelopment of the Maa Tarini Peetha at Ghatagaon in Keonjhar district.
The ambitious project, worth over ₹312 crore, aims to modernise the revered shrine with world-class facilities while safeguarding its cultural and spiritual heritage. The redevelopment is targeted for completion within a year.
Speaking at the event, CM Majhi said, “I am blessed with the opportunity to serve Maa Tarini. After eight months of planning, the project is finally taking shape. The government is committed to transforming Maa Tarini’s seat into a world-class religious and tourist destination. There will be no shortage of funds for this sacred endeavour.”
He further stated that the sanctioned amount of more than ₹312 crore for the beautification of the Maa Tarini temple and its surroundings will be utilised within a year, ensuring that all pilgrim-centric amenities are fully operational in the same timeframe.
The Chief Minister also announced additional funding for the construction of houses for temple caretakers.
The redevelopment will span nearly 60 acres and include a 216-bed special pilgrims’ accommodation facility, a pilgrim centre, a lecture hall, a food plaza, a watchtower, a market complex, a coconut store, and a spacious prasad hall with a capacity of 500 people. Other features include toilet blocks, a costume room, a shoe stand, a ticket counter, hand and foot washing stations, a drivers’ rest area, improved internal roads, parking zones, and beautification of the four sacred ponds around the temple.
Majhi noted that the previous government had already sanctioned ₹50 crore for the shrine’s development.
On the occasion, he said that preparations are underway for establishing a mega steel plant in the district.
He added that Keonjhar, like Rourkela and Jajpur, is poised to emerge as a major contributor to Odisha’s industrial economy as a future steel hub.
Outlining the broader vision for the region, the Chief Minister shared that the Central Government is constructing an 8-lane road from Paradip to Barbil. Work on the Paradip–Chandikhol stretch is progressing, while survey activities are underway for the Chandikhol–Barbil section.
Key upcoming projects in Keonjhar include a four-lane ring road in Barbil costing ₹2,300 crore, a Keonjhar bypass road worth ₹428 crore, a four-lane road to the district headquarters hospital, a ₹168-crore tech park, a ₹150-crore data centre, a ₹150-crore textile park at Balabhadrapur, a ₹187-crore data recovery centre at Dharanidhar University, the ₹103-crore Raisuan Airstrip, the ₹180-crore Keonjhar Stadium, and a ₹50-crore RPRC at Sanaghagara, among others.
Majhi emphasised that combining funds from the DMF, OMBADC, and other sources brings the total allocation for Keonjhar to ₹35,000 crore.
