Cuttack, Aug 15: The Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation Limited (OBCCL) has informed the Orissa High Court that the long-delayed redevelopment of the historic Cuttack Chandi Temple will now be completed by March 2026, extending the original target of December 2025.
In an affidavit submitted to the division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice MS Raman this week, OBCCL assured the court that construction work had reached an advanced stage, with all necessary approvals now in place. According to reports from The New Indian Express, the corporation also stated that a technical committee, comprising heritage and archaeology experts, including former senior officials from the Archaeological Survey of India and the Odisha Directorate of Archaeology was overseeing the project to ensure the temple’s historical integrity was preserved.
Major structures are still under construction:
Despite the progress made, significant components of the redevelopment project remain incomplete. These include the main temple structure, Chandi Patha, the eastern gateway East Dwara, and the Yagyan Mandap.
OBCCL clarified that skilled artisans are employing traditional construction techniques to maintain the architectural authenticity of the temple, with the remaining tasks focusing on surveillance systems, ancillary facilities, and enhanced amenities for devotees.
The court was reviewing the status of the project in response to a public interest litigation filed by Cuttack residents Sukanta Mohanty and Debasis Rout. The petitioners expressed concerns about the safety of the temple idol during reconstruction and called for a time-bound completion of the project. The bench directed that any further instructions regarding the construction should be routed through the technical committee, and allowed the petitioners to approach the court if there are further delays or deviations from the schedule.
The Rs 70-crore redevelopment project, approved in 2022, aims to upgrade infrastructure, preserve the temple's heritage features, and improve facilities for pilgrims. It includes dismantling parts of the existing structure while ensuring the sanctum sanctorum of the 11th-century temple remains intact. The temple, which attracts over 25 lakh devotees annually, is one of the most revered shrines in Odisha.
However, the project has faced multiple delays, missing at least five deadlines over the past three years. These delays have been attributed to design changes, alleged quality issues, and slow execution. Earlier inspections revealed that devotees had difficulty accessing the sanctum due to debris and incomplete construction, leading to criticism from locals.
Cuttack Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde had previously assured that the main temple would be completed by December 2025. However, the revised deadline of March 2026 is likely to spark fresh dissatisfaction among the temple’s devotees.
